


Welcome to Storybrooke

by Nakira Taisho (nakirataisho)



Series: Rejecting Canon [2]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-20
Updated: 2014-10-21
Packaged: 2018-02-09 16:10:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 95,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1989315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nakirataisho/pseuds/Nakira%20Taisho
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The fairy tales we know are not necessarily the full stories. When an Evil Queen cast a terrible curse over the fairy tale world, sending them to our world. Fairy tales meet reality in Storybrooke, Maine.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Welcome to Storybrooke (Pilot)

**Author's Note:**

> [This is a fan 'rewrite' of Once Upon a Time, and while it's along the same timeline as canon, it's completely AU. Chapter length will vary anywhere from super short to over 8 thousand words.]

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When the Evil Queen threatens the realm with a Dark Curse, Belle tries to do all she can to help take measures to have the curse broken or stopped. Later, her cursed self, Lacey French, takes matters into her own hands to put things in motion when the Savior arrives in Storybrooke.

_Then…_

It was the day of Snow White's wedding. Belle was wearing a gown made entirely of gold. She had cast a spell on herself to change her appearance just in case. She was at the back of the crowd to watch, but she knew that if Regina showed up she would be captured again and the queen would take measures to torture her further.

Life on the run wasn't the adventure that Belle had envisioned as a child, and neither was being in disguise at a wedding. The doors burst open, but she'd sensed the former queen from the moment she'd arrived at the castle. She shifted her weight to tuck herself behind the crowd further. As she listened to Regina speak, a feeling of dread flooded her. Her happy ending was long forfeit. The man she loved believed her to be dead and claimed to hold no feelings for her.

Before the prince threw his blade at the retreating queen, Belle slipped out of the ballroom. As she reached the courtyard, pale blue smoke surrounded her magic taking her to her hut in the woods. She went into the hut and picked up a mirror, trying to come up with a plan.

Shaking her head, she put the mirror back down and turned her attention to the magically preserved rose on a shelf in the hut. She picked it up and turned it between her fingers. Then, it struck her. In an instant, she'd placed the rose back on its shelf and moving to the woods.

She transported herself magically to the edge of the all too familiar Dark Castle. In her haste, she almost forgot to make sure she wouldn't be seen as she hurried through the castle and up to the library. Her old enchantment on the cleaning supplies was working, so she could tell that Rumplestiltskin wasn't on the property. Seeing the opportunity, she picked up a forlorn duster and took it with her into the library. She set it to dusting the shelves as she waved her hands in front of the books.

It wasn't long before she found the spell book she was searching for.

_Now…_

Lacey French stepped out of her apartment that morning, grocery list in hand. Her neighbour, Mary Margaret, greeted her as she headed downstairs. She followed downstairs, chatting lightly with her. They parted ways as per the norm to go to their vehicles, Mary Margaret to her truck and Lacey to her Mustang.

She put the roof down and got in, adjusting the rose decoration hanging from the mirror. She saw a familiar face in one of her mirrors and she stayed perfectly still, hoping he didn't notice her.

To her relief, he didn't seem to be paying attention to anything but his immediate surroundings. Still, she waited until he was out of sight, carefully adjusting her mirrors. She looked again to see that he was facing her car. He looked so different than she remembered, but she could still recognize the pawnbroker for who he used to be.

He turned the corner and she started the car, listening with relish to the engine purring. After a beat, she drove to the market and parked her car. Something felt different in the air. She spotted a morning edition of the _Daily Mirror_ on a stand by the registers and picked it up, reading the headline. _Stranger Destroys Historic Sign_ was in large print over a mug shot of a blonde woman.

"Emma Swan…?" she murmured, skimming the article. A smile came to her face as she recognized several of the prince and princess' features in the pictured woman's face. "Finally…"

_Then…_

"Blue," Belle called into the night, holding her cloak against her body. There was no response, so the young sorceress sighed. "Ruel Ghorm!" she shouted. Finally, the fairy appeared.

"Belle…I'm surprised you called for me?" the fairy almost questioned as she hovered in front of her.

"I'm not on the counsel of the princess. I do know that I can help with this coming curse," Belle said lightly. "What have they found out?"

"What can you do to help?" Blue asked, rather than answering her question. Her face hardened at the obvious lack of trust.

"Trust a fairy to be distrusting," she bit. "Is it because of Rumple? Or my mother, Fuchsia?" she questioned.

"You know about her?" Blue asked, surprised.

"It doesn't matter. I can help without you giving me an answer." In a puff of smoke, the sorceress went back to her hut. She sat heavily at her table and looked at the book making tools on the surface. A quill was steadily writing on the parchment, telling stories that she herself had nothing to do with.

She smiled a little at how effective the enchantment she'd bartered from that gypsy was. The temptation to write her own story into this book was strong, but she didn't want whoever ended up with the book to know who had written it. She turned her attention to the binding.

_Now…_

Lacey sighed to herself as she drove across town in her mustang, taking the longer route to the Rabbit Hole from her flat to avoid passing the Pawn Shop. Something was different about that particular day. She spotted a yellow beetle outside Granny's and couldn't help but smile.

She continued driving to work. Everything was going according to plan. She glanced up at the clock tower. Of course it was still stalled. Emma hadn't decided to stay yet. It didn't matter. The die was cast and she knew that it would happen.

"Lacey, you comin' in or not?" one of the waitresses asked, knocking on her car door. She jolted from her thoughts.

"Yeah…I'm coming," she got out of her car and went inside with her coworker, clocking in and heading to the bar.

"So everything okay? You've been pretty spacey the past few days," the waitress sighed.

"Everything's fine," she answered. "Let's get to work."

_Then…_

The day the curse struck, Belle was riding her horse to Snow's castle. She couldn't risk using magic with Regina's curse on the move. She urged the horse faster, clutching the book to her chest. She saw the smoke out of the corner of her eyes.

She'd listened in on the conversations about the wardrobe. But she'd miscalculated when the curse would strike. She had to get the book into the wardrobe with Snow so the woman would have a magical link to their world and a way to help through times when the child would surely be hopeless or doubtful. The curse seemed to be moving quicker than she could urge her horse.

 _This has to work…I have to make it in time…,_ she thought to herself, pushing her horse harder. The curse washed over her just before she reached the servants' entrance to the castle. As everything went black, she cursed.

_Now…_

At 8:15, when Lacey went on a short break, she looked over at the clock tower. It started again and she grinned.

"Finally…," her grin shifted to a smirk. "All according to plan…"


	2. The Thing You Love Most

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lacey looks for something still magical from the other world to ensure that things go according to plan and the curse is broken. Meanwhile, a few years before the curse was cast, Belle makes plans to make a deal with the Dark One to get out of her father's home and save their lands from the Ogre Wars.

_Now…_

Lacey walked across town, enjoying the walk and the distant ticking of the clock. She was careful to avoid being seen by both Regina and Gold, it wasn't time for her to deal with them. She headed for the library, pulling a key out of her pocket. She took a second look before tucking the key into the lock, and turning it.

A smirk came to her expression as the lock turned and the door opened. She slipped inside and went up to the caretaker's apartment. Most everything from her potions lab was in place in the apartment, but it was an out of use mess. So, she set to cleaning up, searching for a particular item as she worked.

_Then…_

Belle sat in the library in her father's fortress, reading a book. The library was one of the few parts of the building that hadn't fallen into decay with the financial burdens of the Ogre War. Of course, the library was enchanted with a preservation spell that kept it untouched by time.

"You really read too much, Belle…," Gaston sighed, stepping up behind her. She rolled her eyes.

"You'd be surprised at how useful books can be," she answered, closing the book.

"How useful can a book be in the hands of a woman?"

"Very," she snapped, opening the book again, flipping to a specific page. She stood and blew on the pages, releasing a sleeping spell. "You're a means to an end, Gaston…never forget that." She shut the book with a sharp snap and left the man on the floor as she left the library.

She needed him to be her fiancé at the moment, as much as she despised him. She had too much on the line. She went to her chambers to change. When Gaston woke, they would be going to another war counsel. And at the war counsel, she would again suggest to her father that instead of relying on Gaston's land's money and soldiers to defeat the ogres they should look to magic.

_Now…_

Lacey left the library carefully, several hours after she'd gone in. Of all the magical items she'd stored in her lab and even her own apartment, she couldn't find the one she was looking for. She walked down the street, heading, for the first time since the curse was cast, down to the Pawn shop. It had to have been brought over and mixed in with his belongings from the castle. She slipped in through the back door, hoping that he wasn't there. All was silent in the shop.

She smirked and started looking through the items tucked away in the space. Limited to the back of the shop, she couldn't really search for what she needed. The bell rang as the front door of the shop opened, and Lacey ducked behind a curtain. She heard the thudding of Gold's cane on the ground, but it stopped before he reached the curtain blocking the way to the back room.

"Is someone in here?" Gold asked, his cane thumping as he stepped in. Lacey held perfectly still. She glanced over and saw something. She carefully and slowly reached for it.

She smiled as she grasped the handle of the exact item she'd been searching for. There was still some magic in it, she could feel it. And she had just the use for the last bit of magic it held.

_Then…_

Belle was reading a book as she sat at her father's counsel table beside her fiancé, pretending to ignore the conversations about ogres and battles. She turned the page in her book as one of the counselors suggested making a deal with the Dark One. She barely managed not to smirk.

The counselors had beaten her to the suggestion. Of course, Maurice gave a show of arguing against it. She put her book down gently on the table and looked at her father.

"Father, nothing else has worked, maybe it's best…," she said softly.

"Fine," he relented. "I'll send word to the Dark One with a promise of gold."

 _Gold? Really? Doesn't he_ make _gold?_ She wondered silently, but made no argument. She picked up her book again, hiding an impish grin behind the pages as the conversations continued.

_Now…_

"Is someone in here?" Gold asked again. "Show yourself!"

Lacey clutched the wand to her chest. If she used the magic left in it to knock him out, she wouldn't have the magic she needed to continue getting things to move correctly. Then she spotted it, an all too familiar book. Looking at it, she could feel magic emanating from the book.

A smile came to her expression, and she picked it up, tucking the wand into her jacket. She stepped out of the curtain and looked at him. She ran her thumb along the edges of book, watching the shock on his face. He probably thought she was dead.

"Belle…? Is it really…?" he reached for her, dumbfounded.

"No…it's not. You know I'm not really here," she lied smoothly, using the obvious fact that he thought he was hallucinating to her advantage. This bit of information would come in handy if she bumped into him again. She opened the book to a page and touched the writing.

"Belle…I'm sorry…," he apologized sincerely. She saw tears in his eyes, but didn't allow that to distract her.

"It's a little late for that, Rumple," she sighed, giving him a harsh look before blowing the sleeping spell from the pages. He fell unconscious, the particular spell gently lowered him to the ground, and she turned to move the curtain. What else of hers was behind there?

Most of the items tucked into the alcove were hers. She took what she could carry that belonged to her from the space and moved the curtain back into place before taking the items back to the library apartment.

_Then…_

Belle stood in her bedroom, her handmaiden dressing her in her best gold dress.

"Milady…why the gown? It's only a war counsel…," the handmaiden muttered.

"I'm not much good at counsel meetings, Papa just wants me there for appearances," she answered. When the woman finished, she went to the vanity and put some makeup on. Her handmaiden fixed her hair. Belle rubbed the edge of her spell book while the other worked.

At the moment Belle was ready, she picked the book up and went to the war room, meeting her father at the door.

"You look lovely, Belle," Maurice said lightly.

"Thank you…," she gave a small smile, playing the demure helpless girl.

"What's this book you're always reading, Love?"

"It's the book that my fairy godmother gave me last year on my birthday. It's from another realm…hard to read, but it's good…"

"I don't want you reading things from other lands…they're dangerous."

"Papa, I'll be fine." _And I won't be here for you to order about after this counsel meeting._

_Now…_

Lacey went to her neighbour's apartment, using her own key to unlock the door, and, seeing the envelope full of money on the table, smirked. Already, Mother and Daughter were reuniting. That would be exactly what Emma needed in order to believe in the curse: her mother's confidence and hope. She slipped through the apartment and shifted a couple of things in the spare bedroom.

Regina would have Emma kicked out of the Bed and Breakfast, leaving Emma to sleep in her car. She needed Mary Margaret to offer that space to Emma after the saviour had no other place to go, so she dusted the space with a tiny bit of the magic left in the wand. She then went down to Mary Margaret's bed and tapped her wand once on the frame of the bed, willing a bit of the remaining magic from the object to put the idea that the woman _needed_ to help Emma out. For good measure, she used the last of the magic in the wand to put the suggestion on the envelope.

Done with her task, she left the apartment, and went to her own to get ready for work, a wicked grin crossing her features. The only thing that could make things go wrong would be if Emma's life had hardened her so much that she refused to believe.


	3. Snow Falls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Art Teacher Katherine Glacie helps chaperone a field trip to the hospital with her coworker and friend Mary Margaret Blanchard, and she catches wind of the events that happen afterwards between Mary Margaret and a comatose John Doe. Meanwhile, a kingdom far to the north by name of Arendelle is celebrating the coronation of a new queen surrounded in mystery.

_Then…_

Elsa smiled nervously as she stood at the stairs, nodding politely to the guests entering the castle. She shifted her weight a little, trying to keep calm. She hadn't seen her sister, but that didn't really matter. She'd barely seen her sister since the accident ten years before.

The crowd headed to the chapel and Elsa waited for her sister to show. The bells chimed the half hour and a minute or two later the red haired princess ran into the foyer.

"Sorry I'm late!" she laughed. Elsa rolled her eyes and picked a piece of seaweed off her sister's skirt.

"Took a stroll by the docks?" she guessed.

"Y-Yeah…," the younger princess answered with a blush.

"It's fine, but we're late now," Elsa sighed, putting the seaweed on the bannister for one of the maids to dispose of. She smiled at her sister and they headed into the chapel.

_Now…_

Katherine Glacie smiled a little to herself as she went to the parking lot at the school. Sure, it was just another day, but somehow it felt different. Nothing had happened that was really all that different. One of her students, Henry Mills, had been a little more chipper than usual during her art class.

She saw Mary Margaret coming out to her truck, parked (as always) next to Katherine's baby blue VW Beetle, and she waved a little in greeting. Katherine didn't have many friends, but she enjoyed Mary Margaret's company and considered her a friend.

"Were you going to help tomorrow?" Mary Margaret asked lightly, referring to the event planned for some of the students to go to the Hospital to cheer up the patients.

"I'm chaperoning one of the groups," she answered lightly, putting her bag in the passenger's seat and moving to lower the convertible roof. "Didn't you say you have a date tonight? If you wanted to come by after or go to the Rabbit Hole if it goes bad, just text me."

"With Dr. Whale…," Mary Margaret sighed. "Considering my luck with dates, I probably will…thanks."

"No problem," Katherine replied with a smile. That was actually how their friendship had started. Both of them had been in the Rabbit Hole after very poor dates. Their friendly trips to the Rabbit Hole to drink and chat had sparked another friendship for Katherine with the bartender Lacey.

With knowing looks, they both got in their cars in sync and left the school.

_Then…_

Elsa's hands were shaking. There were so many people in the chapel watching her. She glanced at her sister to see her practically bouncing where she stood. It brought a small smile to her face. She knew her sister had been looking forward to the open gates, and if she was honest with herself, so was Elsa.

She was so nervous that when her cue came to pick up the two baubles she forgot to take her gloves off, prompting the minister to clear his throat a little. She froze, then realized she was still wearing her gloves.

"Your majesty, the gloves…," he whispered. Her expression dropped and she shakily removed the gloves, setting them on the pillow before picking the objects up. She barely managed to keep her hands steady as she turned to face the crowd.

They all stood as the minister chanted in the old language of their region. Elsa glanced at her sister and smiled at her, receiving a smile in return. She cast a glance at her hands, feeling a bit more confident. A thin layer of ice was on the surface of the items just near her hands and she stiffened a little.

The ice spread ever so slightly and she started wishing for the minister to speed things up. Even feeling good about herself and a bit more confident, she couldn't go a mere minute without something being frosted over at her uncovered touch. She worried that she wouldn't be able to do what she'd planned and leave the gates open.

Finally, the minister finished and she quickly turned to put the items down and yank her gloves back on. She folded her hands over her skirt as she turned back to the crowd.

_Now…_

Katherine was just a touch hungover as she met her group of students outside the hospital the next morning. She'd barely gotten tipsy, and it was fortunate that Lacey had cut both her and Mary Margaret off the night before, but as she hadn't eaten for a few hours before they went to the bar, she didn't manage to avoid the headache. Needless to say, when Katherine saw Dr. Whale on their way to their designated ward, she shot him a quick, yet very harsh, look.

She and Mary Margaret met with Lacey at Granny's after the field trip was over. They didn't talk about much in particular, only books and art and their jobs, as was the usual content of their conversations. The fieldtrip was mentioned and Katherine detailed how things had gone with her group.

"Well, Henry started asking all these questions about the John Doe in the ward we visited," Mary Margaret started.

"The really cute guy in a coma?" Katherine quipped.

"Yes…," she answered. "That one…"

Lacey gave a light chuckle at Mary Margaret's tone, causing the other woman to blush brightly. Katherine grinned broadly and patted her friend's back gently. Abruptly, the alarm on Lacey's phone went off to notify her of the time and the brunette stood, pulling out her wallet to pay for her food.

"I have to get to work. I'll see you two later on," she said as she left the cash on the table for Ruby and hurried out.

Katherine paused a moment, remembering that she'd been asked to make a sculpture for a town event. She decided she could work on it later, turning her attention to Mary Margaret.

"So, the new woman in town…Emma, right?" she questioned.

"Yeah, Emma Swan," Mary Margaret replied. "She's staying with me while she's in town."

"What's she like? Why is she even here?"

"She's…nice. A little rough around the edges, but…she's been through a lot, I think. And she's in town for Henry."

"Henry Mills?"

"She's his birth mother. And she's decided to be a part of his life."

"That's great."

_Then…_

The party was going well, even with having to constantly refuse dances. Her sister had vanished, so she couldn't pass the dance requests off on her after the first one. Of course, it was her own fault that Anna had left the party. She was talking to a pair of dignitaries when her sister called to her. Elsa excused herself politely and turned to see that Anna was standing with her arms entwined with a strange man's.

She blinked in surprise, looking him over as Anna babbled. It took a good long minute for her to realize as they were talking about planning ceremonies and who would live where that Anna had asked for a wedding blessing. She knew her sister was a bit impulsive, but this was certainly a first.

"Anna, stop," she said firmly, stunning her sister into silence. "You can't marry a man you just met!"

"You can, if it's True Love!" Anna retorted, pulling closer to the prince.

"What do you know about True Love?" she snapped in response.

"More than you!" Anna said harshly, causing Elsa to flinch. "All _you_ know how to do is shut people out!"

"Anna…," she started, steadying herself. "You asked for my blessing, and my answer is no. Excuse me…"

"Elsa, wait a second!"

"Your majesty, if I can ease your—" the prince started. Elsa turned to leave, casting a sharp look at him.

"No," she said firmly, stepping towards the doors to the ballroom. She glanced at a guard. "The party is over, close the gates."

"Elsa, no, wait!" Anna grabbed her hand, but only really succeeded in yanking Elsa's glove off.

_Now…_

Later that evening, Katherine was interrupted in working on a sculpture in her workshop by a call from Mary Margaret. She put down her carving tools and answered her phone.

"I think I woke him up!" Mary Margaret said before Katherine could say anything. The other teacher started babbling excitedly, but Katherine couldn't make it out.

"Mary Margaret, calm down," she sighed. "I can't understand you. What happened?"

"I went to read to the John Doe and he grabbed my hand while I was reading!"

"That's great, Mary Margaret!"

"I know! But I don't know what to tell Emma…we hadn't expected anything to happen, but he woke up and—"

"Just tell her the truth," she sighed, cutting her friend off. "Look, Mary Margaret, I'm in the middle of a project and I have to have it finished before tomorrow. You know I'd love to talk about what happened, but I'm not even half finished and I have to deliver it right after breakfast and before lunch."

"Oh…," the other woman trailed off, sounding disappointed. Katherine hated having to cut their conversation short, especially with Mary Margaret so excited, but she didn't really have a choice. "Sorry, I'll let you finish up then."

"It's fine, really. You can fill me in over lunch tomorrow," she assured her.

_Then…_

Elsa finally snapped as her sister yelled at her, turning on her heels and swinging her uncovered hand. A blast of ice shot from her fingers and an arc of spikes formed. The reaction was a collective gasp and all she saw was fear on the faces of the onlookers. She fled the ballroom and ran outside.

The gathered crowd blocked her path to the gates and she tried to push through them. She barely heard her subjects speaking to her, one mother looking worried as the infant in her arms reached out to Elsa. She backed away, accidentally freezing the fountain. Children started crying almost immediately and she heard shouting from inside.

Terrified, she fled, the citizens clearing a path for her.

_Now…_

Katherine and Mary Margaret were at the Rabbit Hole, sitting at the bar with Lacey (the bartender was on a short break) while Mary Margaret detailed what had happened with the John Doe. She was so excited that she'd really helped someone. And as they hadn't had the chance to talk at lunch earlier, Katherine was a little excited to hear the story.

"And when we got him back to the hospital," Mary Margaret concluded. "Mayor Mills had found his wife and brought her to the hospital to verify his name." Her tone was sad, and a look of disgust flashed for a split second across Lacey's features.

"That's great," Katherine said when she finished speaking. "You woke him up and he got reunited with his wife." The other woman nodded dejectedly in response.

"Well, there's hope," Lacey said softly. "If he has amnesia, the marriage doesn't mean much."

"What?" they both gasped in shock at Lacey's statement.

"Nothing," she replied, getting up. "I have to get back to work."


	4. The Price of Gold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A trio of travelling 'gypsies' is invited to perform at Prince Thomas' ball and later the same prince's wedding to Cinderella, and the eldest of the three gives the Blue Fairy the enchantments needed to capture The Dark One. Meanwhile a mediator tries to negotiate a change in Ashley Boyd's deal with Mr. Gold to give up her baby.

_Then…_

The entertainment at Prince Thomas' ball came in the form of three famous sisters. Nakira, the eldest, was playing a flute expertly and dancing across the platform. Lena, the second sister, was singing to the music of the flute as she danced with the other two. The youngest, Kera, was singing as well, and all three were wearing intricately designed costumes that made music when they moved.

As was usual for a performance from these three, there was music from other instruments that weren't visible accompanying them. The song they were playing came to an end and the attendees applauded. They were just about to go into another song when all eyes turned to the ballroom doors.

A young woman with ash blond hair, in a sky blue dress so lovely it could only be described as magical, stepped into the room, capturing the attention of all in attendance. Prince Thomas in particular was captivated by her and he approached her. The shock of the late arrival wore off and the gypsies began their next song. The prince offered a dance to the young woman and when she curtsied, glass slippers peaked out from under her dress.

Nakira smiled to herself as the pair danced, sensing a connection between the girl and the prince.

_Now…_

Marlo LeFaye was late to arrive at the school, just moments before the start of her first class. She rode into the large music room on her bicycle, a large buggy trailing behind her laden with instruments.

"Sorry I'm late, everyone!" she said lightly as she came to a stop and pushed the kickstand down on her bike. She stood and went to stand behind the buggy she'd brought. "Today we'll be learning about different instruments and their history."

Her statement brought a murmur of excitement from the students. With a bright smile, she went to the blackboard and wrote down the names of each instrument she'd brought.

Meanwhile, Emery LeFaye was going to Mr. Gold's Pawn Shop to see about a loan she'd helped to arrange. She knocked on the door, but he seemed to be out. So, she left a note asking him to meet with her to discuss the payment for her client's end of the deal, and went to get some food at Granny's Diner. She sat at her usual table and ordered her usual meal. She saw the mayor come and go as she ate, shrugging it off.

The comings and goings of the mayor didn't matter to her. She was a bit curious about the newcomer, Emma Swan, however. Marlo had mentioned that the saviour was in town, and that Emma could very well be the one.

When she finished eating, she went to the laundry room in the back, knowing that her client would be there working on laundry. She was very worried about Ashley, and how working so much (as a maid no less) would affect the baby she was carrying.

"People are going to tell you who you are your whole life," she heard someone say as she came into the laundry room. "You just got to punch back and say, 'no, this is who I am.' You want people to look at you differently? Make them. You want to change things? You're going to have to go out there and change them yourself, because there are no fairy godmothers in this world."

Emery stepped into the room to see that it was the newcomer, Emma Swan, speaking. She moved to take the stained sheets from Ashley and further help her with her task.

"Ashley, you should take it easy," she said with a tired sigh. "Too much stress from working could harm your baby, even this late."

"I know…," Ashley whispered.

Several hours later, Emery met with Gold at the park. She reiterated to him that the terms of a deal would potentially change and then left.

The next morning, she received a phone call from Gold saying that Ashley had broken into the shop and vanished. It honestly didn't surprise her in the least.

_Then…_

The sisters had been asked to perform at the wedding of Prince Thomas and his new princess, Ella. As they were still in town after the previous ball, they gladly accepted the request. When the prince and princess came down the stairs and the applause died down, they began playing. This time, as it was a wedding, the other instruments accompanying them were hovering in mid-air over the stage.

They noticed the arrival of Rumplestiltskin and the three exchanged glances. They didn't pause in their performance, but they knew that it was a bad sign for the new princess.

_Now…_

Emery went straight to the pawn shop, noticing the board on the window. She went inside despite the sign reading 'closed'. Gold was behind the counter, a small smirk on his face. It shouldn't have surprised her that he'd done something, but she wasn't sure what he'd done just yet.

"You certainly look pleased with yourself," she sighed.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he laughed.

"Your Dark One is showing," she snapped. "I told you she would want to change the deal. I've jumped through hoops to alter this bargain."

"No one breaks a deal with me. And I don't know what you're talking about…'Dark One'?"

"Don't lie to me, Rumplestiltskin. You know as well as I do that everyone with the ability to do so used a remembering potion to keep from being fully affected by Regina's curse. And with the savior in town, things are finally changing."

He narrowed his eyes at her, but said nothing in response. "Hire the saviour to find her," she continued. "If things don't go in a way that Emma forces your hand, I'll take measures to ensure Ashley keeps that child. Do we have a deal?"

"If Emma doesn't force my hand, eh?" he asked, a wicked grin on his face. "Yes, we have a deal."

_Then…_

Nakira sighed a little as she enchanted the cavern and its cage. On principle, she tended to take measures to thwart Rumplestiltskin's deals when they involved children. She personally knew exactly what he was planning with an infant, and she couldn't risk him being successful in that.

The Blue Fairy flew into the room, growing to human size, though Nakira still towered over her. The traveler put the last touches on her spell work and turned to face the fairy. Blue held a red feather quill.

"As you asked, a quill made with a feather of a Jubjub Bird, dipped in ink made from Bandersnatch saliva," Blue sighed, a look of disgust on her expression. "Why couldn't you use objects from this realm?"

"Because objects in this realm don't have their own magic," she explained. "Items with their own magic have less of a price and are more potent in realms with certain breeds of magic."

She took the quill and waved a hand over it, muttering an incantation. Blue watched in surprise as the quill began to glow. When the glow faded, Nakira handed the quill back to the fairy.

"And this will do what we need?"

"Whoever signs with this quill will be trapped in time and their magic rendered useless for a short period of time. Just enough time to transport the Dark One to this prison."

_Now…_

Emery watched from a corner of the hospital lobby as Emma forced a change in the deal. The saviour certainly was handy. And this proved to her that Emma could be the saviour. She cast a smirk towards Gold as he glared at her. He narrowed his eyes in response and she left the room, pulling out her phone. She called Marlo to give her the news about Emma's success with the situation with Ashley.


	5. That Still Small Voice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As a child and teenager, Regina struggles with an abusive mother and a growing hatred of magic. Meanwhile, in Storybrooke, the mayor tries to cover up potential evidence of her curse and keep her son out of harm.

_Then…_

Regina snuck into her mother's work room for the first time, curious about what she was doing in there all the time. She saw her mother spinning straw into gold and her eyes went wide. She wondered how Cora did it, but deep down she knew exactly how it was done. Dark Magic. She saw the jars of potion ingredients and the spell books all around the room.

Her mother looked up from her spinning and Regina ran away. All she could think of as she ran through the mansion and vowed to never step foot in there again, was that she never, ever, wanted to use Dark Magic or have anything to do with it. She wouldn't be a wicked witch like her mother.

The little girl ran out to the field and stopped on a hill under a tree. She sat under the tree. She hoped that her mother hadn't seen her.

_Now…_

In the Mayor's office, Regina was sitting at her desk going through her usual routine. Papers were neatly piled on her desk, a basket of fresh apples on each surface and the sculpture she'd purchased at a charity event was sitting in a corner. Abruptly, an earthquake shook the building, knocking a few small items from their places and causing the new sculpture to fall over and shatter.

Startled, the mayor stood and put her pen down. It was late, so she planned to just call it a day and go investigate. She had a feeling that that wretched woman had done something somehow. Earthquakes never reached her town.

She picked up the phone and made a call, quickly finding out what had happened. With a tired, and slightly annoyed, sigh, she went to her car and drove to the scene. She parked and got out of the car, wading through the crowd.

"Everyone step back, please," she said loudly, causing a path to clear. She barely registered the murmuring of the citizens, seeing that damnable blonde with Graham. "Be careful, step back," she told a person standing dangerously close to the softened ground as she approached them.

"Sheriff, set up a police perimeter," she told Graham before turning her attention to the other woman. "Ms. Swan, this is now official town business. You're free to go."

"Well, actually I work for the town now," the blonde said with a small smirk. The statement sent shocks of outrage and surprise through Regina's body, though she managed to keep a mostly straight face.

"She's my new deputy," Graham explained. _That_ was what that blasted woman had done. She must have been trying to find some sort of niche or some new way to ruin things.

"They say the mayor's always the last to know," she said bitterly.

"It's in my budget."

"Indeed," she ground out. With a sharp, condescending glare at Emma, she gave her next instructions. " _Deputy_ , why don't you make yourself _useful_ and help with crowd control?"

Emma rolled her eyes and moved to do just that. Regina turned to the crowd and gave a reassuring speech to them, saying that she'd personally turn it into something to benefit the town. She'd have to destroy it and fill it with concrete to keep prying noses out of it.

"We will bulldoze it, collapse it, pave it," she went into the final bit of the proposition.

"Pave it?" she heard Henry say loudly and she looked to see her son push his way towards the front of the crowd. "What if there's something down there?" Of course he would think to look down there for proof of his annoyingly mysterious belief in the curse and magic. She crouched to his level.

"Henry," she lowered her voice. "What are you doing here?"

"What's down there?" he hissed at her.

"Nothing," she insisted. "Now, step back." She straightened and addressed the crowd again.

_Then…_

Regina, a teenager now, avoided her mother's work room at all costs. It was bad enough that her mother used her magic to manipulate and try to control every moment of her daily life. She was in the library reading a book about horses when her mother came in with yet another offer to teach her magic.

"You're my daughter, Regina," Cora reminded her when she refused to look up from her book. "You'll get a lot further in life with a magical advantage. It's your fate."

She closed her book with a loud snap and stood up. She barely cast a glance at her mother as she started to leave the library. Of course, there was an invisible wall blocking her path. Outraged, she glanced at her mother.

"Mother, I've told you already," she said through clenched teeth. "I want nothing to do with magic. Please, let me get some fresh air."

After a long moment, and another comment about fate, Cora let her leave. Regina fled as gracefully as she could to the stables, where she picked up a brush and went to spend some time with her horse. It seemed that the only ones that understood her were the horses.

_Now…_

Regina knew that it would crush Henry, but she needed him to stop looking at her like she was nothing more than her old moniker. For a fleeting moment, she wondered if she'd become just like her mother, or worse, but she cast the thought aside. She had no idea why Henry was so obsessed with proving that the curse was true, or how he'd gotten the idea in his head in the first place that that storybook was real.

When she'd caught sight of it before, she hadn't thought it was anything special. She glanced at the clock. Almost noon. Henry would be going to his session with Dr. Hopper and that annoying cricket would do as she'd instructed, ripping the dream right out of the boy's head.

It almost hurt her heart to do this, but it had to be done. If the curse was broken or weakened further, what little tendrils of happiness she'd finally grasped would be gone. In the end, she decided, it was better for them both if he was let down early. Her phone rang a few minutes after the clock struck the hour.

"Hello?"

"It's done," Archie answered on the other end, sounding wonderfully depressed. "He ran out."

"Good job," she said before hanging up. She knew Henry would go to _her_ first, but she didn't care. She also knew that Emma would defer to the fact that Regina was his mother and drop him off. An hour or more passed and he never appeared. She stood from her chair and went downstairs.

When asked, no one at the office had seen Henry, so she assumed he was still with Emma. She pulled out her cell phone and called the other woman, enraged.

"Hello, Madame Mayor," Emma greeted when she answered. "Nice work." Her tone told her that he'd definitely made contact with her. She almost sighed in relief. As much as she despised Henry's birth mother, at least if he was with her she knew where he was, and that he was safe.

"You with him?" she asked, hiding her relief.

"Yes, I'm with Dr. Hopper," Emma snapped. Regina's eyes went wide and she nearly panicked. "You left your fingerprints all over him when you—"

"Not _him_!" she interrupted the deputy. " _Henry_. Is he with you?" She tried to hide the panic and worry in her tone, but barely managed.

"I dropped Henry off at your office an hour ago," Emma answered, dumbfounded. The mayor almost dropped her phone. Where was he? If she'd dropped him off that soon after the session with Hopper, he should have been in her arms already.

"Well," she snapped. "He's not here." _If he was_ , she added mentally, _I wouldn't be calling you!_

"I don't know where he is then…," Emma responded in shock. Regina nearly hung up when the idea struck her, just as she heard Hopper on the other end muffled by distance.

"I do…"

She ended the call in a huff. _The mines!_

_Then…_

It was the fifteenth time she'd tried to run away. Regina was being held aloft by a branch. As was the usual situation, her mother walked over to her after she'd been hanging there for a good hour or more. Cora reminded her sharply that she wouldn't be allowed to leave until she'd found a suitable husband for her.

When she was released, Regina went back to their manor and locked herself in her room, throwing herself onto her bed and burying her face in her pillows, screaming into the downy mounds. She started crying, wishing for a way out of that house and away from her mother, to have a chance at a different life.

_Now…_

Hours had passed, it seemed, before they found the air shaft and Regina had reluctantly allowed the deputy to repel into the hole to retrieve Henry. She would have preferred to be the one on that rope, but the other woman was right, she wasn't experienced in things like this. Let the more athletic woman retrieve him.

After a painfully long stretch of time, Regina heard the shrieking of metal and both Henry and Emma shout at Archie. A crash as something fell to the bottom of the shaft. Nothing changed with the wire Emma was hanging from, except perhaps a bit extra tension. Regina held her breath, hoping that they were both okay.

It occurred to her that she was actually worried about Emma as well as Henry, but she couldn't fathom why she would care about that woman. Finally, they got them out of the hole and Regina took her son into her arms, on the verge of tears.


	6. The Shepherd

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lacey, Katherine, and Emma try to help Mary Margaret with her troubles with David Nolan. Meanwhile, Belle comes across a young man with a penchant for playing pranks on his village. (Warning: Character Death/Suicide in this chapter)

_Now…_

Lacey saw Mary Margaret come into the pub and she automatically made her neighbour's favourite drink, setting it on the counter in front of her usual seat. The brunette sat down and Lacey lifted a glass to polish.

"What's wrong?" she asked. "You don't usually come in here without Katherine." She could tell by the look on her friend's face that the other had had yet another bad romantic encounter.

"I don't want to talk about it…," Mary Margaret sighed, picking up her glass.

"You look like you need to," she pressed.

"It's David…"

"The coma patient you woke?"

"He's married, and he…," the woman paused. "He said that he…"

"He likes you?" she guessed, a knowing smirk on the bartender's face.

"Not exactly, but along those lines…I put in my resignation at the hospital…"

"Because he's married and you really like him," Lacey sighed. "Well, I personally think you should go for it. If it makes you happy, fuck everyone else's opinion."

"But he has a _wife_ , Lacey."

"True love doesn't care about who's married to whom," she said, turning to make a drink for someone else. She spared a glance at Mary Margaret, noticing the contemplating look of the other. She'd lost hope in her own 'happily ever after', but that wasn't going to stop her from trying to help her friend with hers.

_Then…_

The small village was quiet. Until the shepherd Dimitri came running into the town square. He was shouting about wolves attacking the sheep in the field. Of course, the men grabbed their weapons and hurried to investigate, as the sheep provided much of the village's money.

When they arrived, there was no wolf and no sign that there had been one in the vicinity. The men turned on Dimitri, and he only began laughing at how quickly they'd believed him.

Belle was leaving her hovel, planning to buy some wool from a nearby village to make some new clothes with. She considered getting some leather or skins to give herself a variety of options. When she arrived at the market, the men were returning with anger plain in their expressions.

"What happened?" she asked the merchant's wife that she was closest to.

"Dimitri was yelling that there was a wolf," the woman replied. "Clearly there wasn't one."

"I see…," she murmured before going about her purchases.

_Now…_

Lacey came home early from her shift that night. Worried, she went to Mary Margaret's apartment and knocked on the door. It was Emma that opened the door, casting a confused look over her.

"I'm Mary Margaret's neighbour," she explained.

"Okay then. She's killing brillo pads."

"Honestly…," she sighed, stepping into the apartment. "Still having troubles with him?"

"I was about to say the brillo pad might press charges if she keeps it up," Emma joked.

"The dishes were piling up," Mary Margaret said sharply, indicating the four dishes in the rack to dry.

"Piling up…right…," Lacey rolled her eyes.

"This have anything to do with David stopping by?" the blonde asked. Lacey found the irony of the situation amusing, but she kept her mouth shut, knowing that neither of them were aware (or believing in the case of the saviour) of the curse.

She went to the cabinets and pulled out three glasses, then the alcohol. As Emma and Mary Margaret talked, she poured them each a drink. She wanted to help encourage her forlorn friend and get to know the saviour a little.

It was several hours before Lacey returned to her apartment, and she was none too confident that Emma would be able to break the curse in a timely manner. The blonde was hopelessly hard hearted, so her ability to believe in the curse would be long in coming.

_Then…_

Dimitri waited a few days before playing his prank again. This time, he made it a little more believable by taking a sheep that had died of illness the day before and splattering it's blood across a part of the field. He made the corpse look as though it had been killed by a wolf.

When he finished, he chuckled and ran to the square. When people were in earshot, he started shouting about a wolf attack. It took longer than expected for them to react, gathering weapons and running to the field. When they all got to the scene, they searched for the wolf, believing his ruse perfectly.

"That sheep died yesterday," someone said sharply, examining the corpse. The reaction to realizing that they'd fallen for it again had Dimitri on his knees laughing. They all left, murmuring insults as he continued to laugh.

_Now…_

Lacey was working on potion in the library apartment. With her free hand, she was flipping through a book of spells that were recorded to have worked in lands without magic. The curse needed to be broken, and quickly, before the situation between Mary Margaret and David became worse.

She wasn't finding anything that might help convince Emma. It seemed that Henry was still her only real option to get the saviour to break the curse. Her phone went off and she paused in what she was doing to answer it. The screen read that it was Mary Margaret calling.

"Is something wrong, Mary Margaret?" she asked, concerned.

"He left her."

"What?"

"David left Kathryn."

"Oh…well…," she paused, trying to think of a way to help her friend. She knew that Regina would do all in her power to keep the two apart, and if she interfered too much, all her plans would be washed away. "You'll have a choice. Follow your heart or what other people dictate to you."

"Right…okay."

_Then…_

This time, Dimitri thought it would be much funnier if he had a friend pretend to be a wolf. So he covered the field in paint and his friend dressed in furs. When they were ready, he made a run for the square, shouting again that a wolf was attacking. The response was slow, but the men came to at least check.

"That's obviously a boy dressed as a wolf!" one man shouted when they came to the field. The group turned on him and he was surprised at their expressions.

"Come on guys…can't you take a joke…?"

"This has gone too far, Dimitri," another snapped, poking his gut with the blunt handle of his pitchfork.

"Once was bad enough, but you've made this more extravagant each time."

"Next time, you'll get lynched, Boy."

The crowd went back about their business, leaving Dimitri dumbfounded.

_Now…_

Katherine went to Mary Margaret's classroom during the lunch break. Lacey had called her to inform her about the trouble with David, and she wanted to check on her friend. The other teacher was sitting at her desk, head in her hands.

"What happened?"

"Oh…Katherine…," Mary Margaret looked up at her, looking distressed. Katherine went to her and sat lightly on the desk. "I don't know what to do."

"Did he come here?"

"Yes…he wants me to meet him tonight."

"He's married," she reminded her.

"He left her."

"That doesn't change that he's married. If you meet with him and he remembers everything later on and he chooses to go back to her…"

"I know…but I don't know what I want to do!"

"Well, you have to think about it in the long run."

A bell rang and the art teacher sighed a little. She touched the other's shoulder gently, giving her a knowing look.

"Thanks…," Mary Margaret sighed. "I'll think about it. If I decide to meet him, I'll let you know."

"Okay then," she answered with a smile, standing. She went back to her classroom.

_Then…_

Belle came to the village again, bearing a rare book she'd procured for the local bookshop in exchange for an equally rare potion ingredient. When she exited the shoppe, she heard genuine screaming. A young man was running into the square, shouting about a wolf attack.

No one even spared him a glance, though the boy looked genuinely terrified. After a moment, he realized that no one would help him, and he ran back the way he'd come. Belle started to follow him, when a man stopped her.

"He's been shouting that every other day just to get a laugh. There's no wolf," he said sharply.

"He seemed genuinely afraid," she argued.

"He's a good actor," another man sighed. "He had us fooled the first couple of times too."

She shook her head a little and ran past them, following the boy's trail. She heard the bleating of sheep as she approached the field and then the growl of a large wolf. When the scene came into her view, she saw the boy trying to protect his sheep.

With a wave of her hand, Belle magicked the sheep to a safer field and then drew her sword. Given the size of the wolf, she assumed it was a werewolf and it would take a bit more than magic to get rid of. She charged the wolf and in a fell sweep of her blade beheaded it.

She turned to look at the boy, who had stumbled back and fallen. He was covered in blood, and she couldn't tell whether it was all the wolf's or if he'd been injured.

_Now…_

Lacey was watching from the shadows as David tried to find his way. She nearly approached him to give him proper directions to the bridge, knowing that Mary Margaret was waiting for him. The only thing that stopped her was the arrival of the Mayor. Regina gave him false directions and Lacey clenched her fists tightly.

She had to stop him from going into Gold's shop, but the chance of Gold seeing her was too close for comfort for her at that moment. She knew that if he saw anything in that shop that was associated with Regina's modified curse story for him it would trigger the curse to take over and she'd lose any chance she might have had to make sure he only remembered his true life.

 _Damn that woman_ , she thought. _Why is she so against them when they've done nothing to her?_

Unfortunately, as she couldn't do anything at that exact moment, she had to go home and leave Mary Margaret to the consequences of the meeting.

_Then…_

Belle cleaned Dimitri up with magic, gently trying to calm him down. Given what the other villagers had said, she wasn't surprised that no one had come to help, but it made her sad to think that they'd allowed their distrust of him to cloud their abilities to tell whether he was trying to fool them or not.

She saw on his arm a terrible wound that she first assumed was from something else. Then she saw that it was a bite. The wolf had managed to get his arm in its jaws before she'd arrived. The young sorceress conjured a bandage and bound his wound.

"I've never seen a wolf that big!" Dimitri sobbed, not for the first time.

"It was no wolf," she said with a heavy sigh. This soon, she could make a cure for him, if he was willing to pay the price of the magic.

"Then…what was it?"

"A werewolf. Neither man, nor wolf."

"A-And it bit me…!"

"Yes," she agreed. "I can help you. I know a cure. Since the curse hasn't run its course yet, we have time to reverse this."

"Reverse…what? Curse?"

"The curse of the werewolf," she explained softly. "I can help you avoid it. Though all magic comes with a price."

His eyes went wide and he contemplated her offer.

_Now…_

Lacey and Katherine met with Mary Margaret at Granny's immediately after they received her messages about her encounter with David going sour. Katherine held their friend as she tried to hold back her tears. Lacey ordered a round of pie, asking Ruby to keep her distance for a bit. The waitress nodded a little at the request, glancing at Mary Margaret sympathetically.

After Ruby brought them the pie, she went out of her way to stay away from their table, even going so far as to recommend customers that sat nearby to sit at a different table. For that, Lacey was grateful.

_Then…_

It was a long few moments before Dimitri made a move. Before Belle could react, he took the sword from its sheathe on her belt and turned it on himself, stabbing the blade through his body. Belle's eyes went wide and she started to heal him.

But she was too late, the damage was already done. She could see the life drain from his eyes as he looked at her sadly. His skin paled and he coughed up blood. The dying was slow as he fell back. He looked at her pleadingly, his mouth moving despite the only sound coming from his throat being strangled gurgles.

She knew he only wanted her to end it, so she removed the sword from his stomach and rested her hand over his heart, willing her magic to stop its beating. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she watched the last vestiges of his life disappear. Gently, she closed his eyes and cleaned her sword before returning to her hovel in a puff of smoke.

She pulled out a mirror and used it to watch the scene she'd just left. When she hadn't returned to the village, the men went to the field to investigate, only to find Dimitri's body and the now human body of the slain werewolf. Perhaps it would do them good to not know what had really happened to the boy.

_Now…_

Katherine was the first to have to leave the diner, apologizing with the reasoning that she had assignments to grade and several sculpting commissions to finish in a timely manner. Lacey waited until Mary Margaret was no longer distraught before verifying that her friend would be able to get home all right.

"I'll be fine," Mary Margaret insisted when Lacey refused to leave and offered to drive her back to their building.

"If you're sure."

"I am. You said the other day that you had a double shift tomorrow, so go home and get some rest…"

"All right. If you need a ride, give me a call," she said as she stood and pulled out her wallet to pay Ruby for the pies. She looked to see Mary Margaret nod a little and then she left, cursing Regina under her breath. That blasted woman just couldn't let anyone else have even a shred of happiness, could she?


	7. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina is having relationship problems, and she believes Emma is at the center of them. Meanwhile in the Enchanted Forest, the Evil Queen has found a way to get her full revenge on everyone that's hurt her. (Major Character Death)

_Now…_

Emma entered the diner, seeing Graham throwing darts. She fumed a moment, not because of what she'd seen the night before, but because he had the gall to do that with a kid in the house. Whether Henry heard it or knew or not, it was still wrong. And knowing that he was _sleeping_ with Regina made her lose all respect she might have had for him. To make it worse, she wasn't sure if it was only because of the fact that Henry was in the house with them or something else.

"Nice shot, chief," Sidney chuckled. "I bet twenty bucks you can't do it again."

"Next round's on him," Graham laughed, looking at Granny behind the counter. Emma shook her head a little.

"Emma," Ruby greeted. "What can I get you?"

"Nothing," she sighed. A dart whizzed by her head and she jolted, glaring at Graham. "What the hell? You could have hit me!"

"I never miss," the sheriff defended himself. "You've been avoiding me…since last night when you saw me…"

"Leaving the Mayor's?" she snapped. "And yes, that is a euphemism. I'm _not_ avoiding you, Graham. I just have no interest in having this conversation. It's your life, and I really don't care." _But I don't have any respect for you anymore_ , she thought bitterly.

"If you don't care, then why are you so upset?" he questioned. It struck a nerve that he really thought she cared.

"I'm not upset!" she bit.

"If that were true, you'd be at the bar with me, having a drink and not running away," he replied. "Can we please talk about this? I need you to understand."

"Why?" she asked, wondering why he couldn't take a hint. She didn't care about him. His affair with the mayor was none of her business and the only way it affected her was how it would impact Henry.

"I don't know," he sighed. "Uh…maybe so _I_ can understand."

"You need analysis, go talk to Archie," she snapped.

"I wanna talk to you," he insisted.

"Well, your bad judgment is _your_ problem, not mine," she went outside, but he followed her.

"You don't know what it's like with her," he tried explaining as they walked. "I don't _feel_ anything. Can you understand that?"

"A bad relationship?" she questioned, turning on him. "Yeah. I understand a bad relationship. I just don't wanna talk about _yours_."

"Look, I know you and Regina have your own issues," he sighed. "And I should've told you about that before you took the job."

"Yeah," she ground out. "Why the secrecy? We're all adults. You can do whatever you want."

"'Cause…I-I didn't want you to look at me the way you are now."

"Why do you care how I look at you?" she questioned, wondering if this was some sort of lame attempt at a confession. She thought she'd already made it clear she wasn't interested in even talking to him.

"Because…," he trailed off. He seemed to space out for a moment.

"What?" He kissed her suddenly and she almost slapped him. "What the _hell_ was _that_?!"

"Did you see that?"

"How much have you been drinking?" she asked angrily. "That was _way_ over the line."

"I'm sorry," he apologized weakly. "I just…?"

"What?" she snapped. "You what?"

"I need to _feel_ something."

"Listen to me, Graham," she touched his shoulder. "You are drunk and full of regret. I get it. But whatever it is you're looking to feel, I can tell you one thing. You're _not_ getting it with me."

She stalked away from him. It was true, she wasn't even slightly interested in him. Sure, she'd felt a little jealous (she wasn't sure why she'd been jealous, in hindsight) when she'd caught him the night before, but it had passed almost immediately when she realized that Henry had been in the house. That was no way to do things. Keeping secrets and having sex with a kid just down the hall.

Regina was getting ready for bed, pulling her earrings off. She'd just tucked Henry in and was trying to think of a new way to get him to stop obsessing over the curse. It was bad enough she had a few loose ends that could tip the scales against her. A knocking at the door startled her and she got up from her vanity.

The mayor went down the stairs to answer the door, surprised to see Graham there. She always had to force him to come to her. Of course with the curse he was under the impression that it was his free will that brought him to her with the unyielding need to 'comfort' her.

"Graham," she greeted, wondering what he wanted.

"Is Henry asleep?" he asked.

"Yes," she answered, giving him a quizzical look. "Why?"

His answer was to kiss her passionately, pushing her against the wall. She smiled a little at his unusual behaviour and returned the kiss.

_Then…_

Regina watched from a few feet away as Snow White put a rose on her father's coffin. She was reveling in the princess' pain, though it was nowhere near the pain that Snow had brought on Regina. She was going easy on the girl.

"Goodbye, father…" Snow whispered over the grave. Regina approached her and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Snow," she said softly.

"I loved him so much."

"So did I, dear," she lied, pulling the girl into a hug. "So did I. The loss I feel for my husband must be nothing compared to the loss you feel for your father." Snow began crying against her. "If there is anything I can do, please let me know. I may only be your mother through marriage, but I'm here for you, dear. Truly and forever."

After Snow had stopped crying long enough to go about her own business, Regina went to her quarters, walking past the mirrors lining the wall. She was positively elated, enjoying every bit of it. It crossed her mind for a brief moment that she was doing exactly what her mother had wanted, but she pushed the thought aside.

"Congratulations," the face in the mirrors said, following her as she walked. "Your revenge is almost complete." She crossed to the balcony.

"One down, one to go," she sneered.

"She has no idea, does she?" he questioned.

"That I'm responsible for his passing?" she laughed. "She sought _comfort_ with me. Sickening. I could have ended her miserable existence right there. Believe me, it was tempting."

"It would have sated your soul."

"The kingdom is still loyal to her," she explained, making an excuse. "They would turn on me. They don't know the wretchedness inside her as I do. They don't know what she did to me. We must be delicate in this next phase. Her demise must be handled with care."

"Perhaps one of your knights, your Majesty?"

"No," she bit. She wanted to make Snow suffer, but she couldn't stand to see the girl's face a moment longer, so she would rush things. Rather than wait for the princess to fall in love with someone and rip him away from her, she would stage an unfeeling murder in the woods. "I need someone adept at murder. Bereft of mercy."

"Someone with no heart."

"Now you understand," she said lightly, turning to the mirror.

"Well, in that case, you need a hunstman."

She nodded and waved a hand over a full length mirror leaning on the wall. She watched as her unspoken spell searched the lands for the right person. It settled on an attractive man in the woods, speaking to a dead stag he'd just killed. Interesting. A wolf approached him and it was clear that the man only cared for his companion.

"He'll do nicely…"

_Now…_

It was well before dawn when the bed shifted under Regina. She opened her eyes to see Graham sitting up, drenched in sweat. Her brow furrowed and she sat up to touch his shoulder.

"What is it?"

"I had a most intense dream. I was in the woods hunting, and I killed a deer. There was a wolf…"

"A wolf?" she questioned. Was he remembering? He must have done something with that Swan woman! Her eyes narrowed a little.

"Its eyes…one was blood red and the other one was black as night. The funny thing is, I think I’ve seen the wolf before," he murmured, looking at her. She softened her gaze.

"Come back to sleep, Graham, it was only a dream," she reassured him, trying to convince him, as she was with Henry, that it was his imagination.

"It didn't feel like a dream. It felt like a memory," he insisted, getting out of bed and dressing.

"Graham?"

"I need some air. I need to think," he rambled.

"Graham, please," she insisted. "Come back to bed."

"I left my car at Granny's," he muttered. "Anyway. I need to go and get it. Clear my head." He sat on the bed to put on his boots. Regina sighed, getting annoyed.

"Graham. Listen. It's late. You're tired, probably still drunk. Don't leave."

"Since when do you want me to stay anyway?" he questioned, looking at her. She paused.

"You're not well," she snapped.

"I'm fine," was his reply as he stood and left. Regina fell back onto the pillows with a groan. Another loose end. If that damned Swan woman was going to continue ruining things, she'd have to take different measures to destroy any potential threat to the curse.

Emma came downstairs when she woke up that morning. She immediately noticed the flowers on the table and growled, assuming they were from Graham as some sort of peace offering or flirtation. She stormed over to the table and picked them up.

"Really?" she griped, shoving them into the garbage.

"Oh. Hey. Wait, what are you doing?" Mary Margaret asked her as she came from her room.

"If Graham things flowers will work on—"

"No, those were mine," the other interrupted, startling the deputy.

"Oh," she pulled the flowers out of the trash, inspecting them. "From David?"

"No," Mary Margaret sighed, taking the flowers and putting them in a new vase. "Dr. Whale."

"Why would Dr. Whale—" she froze, looking at Mary Margaret. "Are you serious?"

"I know, it's a disaster."

"No," she argued. "That's amazing. You're getting over David."

"First of all, there's nothing to get over," the other insisted. "And second of all: just a one-night-stand."

"Not according to those flowers."

"Yeah, maybe I shouldn't have called him."

"Oh my god. You called him? That's definitely not a one-night-stand."

"O-Okay, I'm still learning. I-I never had one before. I felt guilty."

"Why? There's nothing wrong with what you did. Trust me. One nighters are as far as I ever go."

"That's because you're—" Mary Margaret cut herself off, looking at the counter.

"Because I'm what?"

"Never mind."

"No, tell me. What do I do?"

"You're just protecting yourself. With that wall you put up."

"Just because I don't get emotional with a man…"

"You don't get emotional with a man? The floral abuse tells a different story."

"What story is that?" she questioned.

"The one that's obvious to everyone…except apparently you. That you have feelings for Graham."

"Come on."

"There's the wall."

"That's not a wall!" she snapped. She really didn't have any sort of feelings for Graham. Never did, never would. He was her boss and he'd crossed lines. _Several_ lines too many for her tastes.

"Really?"

"There's nothing wrong with being cautious." Especially after the way Neal had betrayed her.

"Oh, true. True. But, Emma. That wall of yours, it may keep out pain. But it may also keep out love," with that, Mary Margaret left the apartment. Emma rolled her eyes and went to the station.

Why was it so hard for everyone to grasp that she only saw Graham as her coworker? The only feeling she had for him at the moment was seething rage.

_Then…_

Regina was still observing the huntsman. And the scene she saw in a tavern particularly convinced her. Up until the mirror that was her window into the scene was broken, the man held his own and took down his attackers with no mercy. He was on a completely different level than others she might have considered.

"He's perfect," she told a guard. "Bring him to me." The guard nodded once and hurried to do as commanded. She moved to sit at her vanity, planning her next move.

When they finally brought him in, she stood and crossed the room to inspect him. Yes, he would _certainly_ do nicely. "Do you have a name? Or shall I just call you the Huntsman?" she questioned, taking his subsequent silence as an affirmative. "You're a tortured one, aren't you, Huntsman? Is this because your parents abandoned you to the wolves?"

"Those weren't my parents," he answered. "All they did was give birth to me. The wolves are my family."

"Wolves, indeed," she laughed. "I always felt there were two kinds of people. Wolves and sheep. Those who kill and those who get killed. And you, Huntsman, you are most definitely a wolf."

"Why am I here?" he questioned.

"I'd like you to kill someone for me. Can you do that?" she asked, circling him.

"I kill for me. Why would I do anything for you?"

"Because I have so much to offer. A place at my court. You'll become my official huntsman."

"I'm not interested in being a pet," he snapped. Interesting wording. "This place is a cage." The phrase struck a chord deep inside her. Not too long ago, she'd said almost the same thing to her father about her marriage.

"You'd be awash in luxury. Wanting for nothing."

"You've got an army at your disposal," he pointed out. "What do you need of me?"

"My prey is beloved by all the kingdom," she explained, touching his shoulder seductively. "I need someone who won't be blinded by that. Someone without compassion. Someone who'll…have no qualms carving a heart out and bringing it back for my collection."

"That's me," he sighed.

"As I suspected. Now, tell me: what will it take? What do you want? There must be something." _Everyone has a price…_ , she thought.

"Outlaw the hunting of wolves," he said. "They are to be left alone. They are to be protected."

"Simple enough," she answered. Too simple, in fact.

"So, who do you want me to kill?" he asked. She smirked and moved to perch on her couch.

_Now…_

Regina sighed to herself as she went to Dr. Hopper's office. She was going to make sure he had a chat with Graham before the day was out. She barged into the room, knowing that he wasn't busy.

"Dr. Hopper, we need to talk."

"Oh, um…what about, Madam Mayor? Is something wrong with Henry?" he asked, turning to her.

"This isn't about Henry. It's Graham."

"The sheriff? What about him?"

"He's been acting strange ever since Miss Swan came to town…," she sat on the arm of a couch. "Distant…having strange dreams…"

"I'll give him a call and see about helping him."

"Thank you," she stood and left, going to find Graham. First, she went to the sheriff's department, where she saw Emma practicing darts. To be honest, the deputy was a terrible shot. "Our tax dollars hard at work, I see."

"Graham isn't here," Emma said flatly, retrieving the darts. "I assumed he took a sick day. With you."

"Oh, so you're aware of us? Good. That's why I'm here," she said with a smirk. "Because I'm also aware of your relationship with him."

Emma blinked in surprise. Was that what this really was about? Regina thought that she was in a relationship with Graham? Why did everyone seem to think that?

"I don't have a relationship with him," she snapped.

"Oh? So, nothing's ever happened between the two of you?" the other woman asked. "You forget, Miss Swan, I have eyes everywhere." So she knew that Graham had kissed her.

"Nothing that meant anything," was her retort.

"Well, of course now," Regina sneered. "Because you're incapable of feeling anything for anyone. There's a reason you're alone, isn't there?"

"All due respect," Emma started. "The way I live my life is my business."

"It is until it infringes on my life. Stay away from Graham. You may think you're doing nothing, but you're putting thoughts in his head. Thoughts that are not in his best interest. You are leading him on a path of self-destruction. Stay away."

Emma fumed for a moment and almost started to snap in response, but the mayor turned heel and left before she could. In a rage, she threw all of the darts in her hand at the target. There was _nothing_ between her and Graham.

_Then…_

The queen explained her hatred of Snow White to the Huntsman, ending with a demand for her heart. He handed her a pouch and she pulled a heart out of it. It was oddly large, but no matter. She went into her vault, the Huntsman following. She put the heart into a box and held it up to a slot. It didn't open and she opened the box.

"It should open…," she reexamined the heart. "This isn't her heart! This isn't a _human_ heart! What did you do?!"

_Now…_

Regina went into the crypt after Graham and Emma left, rubbing her cheek gingerly. Enraged, she opened the hidden entrance to the vault. She went to a corner and ran her fingers along the many drawers, opening the one that contained the Huntsman's heart. She could hear everything that was going between Graham and Emma.

It made her even angrier. That woman just couldn't mind her own business! When Graham kissed her, Regina squeezed the heart in her hands. She could tell that the kiss had brought back Graham's memories of the Enchanted Forest, and she couldn't allow the curse to be broken, even if it took away her sex life.

_Then…_

"Did you think you could fool me with the heart of a _stag_?!" Regina shouted, locking the Huntsman in when he started to flee. "You're not going anywhere."

"She doesn't deserve to die," he defended himself

"That's not up to you. I wanted a heart, and a heart I shall have," she growled, shoving her hand into his chest and yanking his heart out.

"What…what are you going to do with me?" She smirked and kissed him.

"You're mine now, my pet," she hissed before going to the wall and holding the heart up. A drawer opened. "And this is your cage. From this moment forward, you will do everything that I say. And if you ever disobey me, if you ever try to run away…all I have to do is…" She squeezed his heart, causing him to double over in pain. "Guards!" she called, prompting two guards to enter and grab her new toy. "Your life is now in my hands, forever. Take him to my bedchamber."

_Now…_

With frustrated tears in her eyes, Regina crushed the heart in her hand to dust. She hadn't wanted to resort to that, but thanks to that woman…she'd killed her pet. With a heavy sigh, she cleaned the dust from her hands and went home.

Emma shook Graham frantically, shouting his name. She was confused and frustrated, and flat out angry that he'd forced another kiss on her. What had he remembered? How did this happen?

Seeing that he was unresponsive, she started doing CPR, trying to revive him. He remained unresponsive, and she checked for a heartbeat. There was no sound, no heartbeat, and no breath. She got the feeling that somehow Regina was responsible, but she couldn't figure out just how.


	8. Desperate Souls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A man named Zoso looks for a way out of his miserable existence as The Dark One. In Storybrooke, Emma reluctantly takes Mr. Gold's help in a campaign to take over as Sheriff. (Minor character death)

_Then…_

Zoso was loathe to do this, but the one with his dagger had control. He was watching as a poor young girl was taken by the group led by a man named Horder. It was pathetic. Dragging children out to die in the fighting. A man caught his eye, huddling his son close to him as though Horder would grab the boy as well.

He saw the girl's parents move to attack to protect their daughter, but he couldn't allow that per his orders from the duke. He lifted a hand and used his magic to choke the pair. As the group rode away with the girl, he released the parents. Again the man caught his eye, reassuring his son in near desperation. Maybe he could use him.

Maybe he could finally be free.

_Now…_

Mr. Gold was curing some wool with Lanolin as he waited for Emma to arrive. He'd given her a call, so it was just a matter of time. Sure enough, he heard the bell jingle from the front door.

"Gold? You here?" he heard Emma call.

"Well, it is my shop…," he quipped. The deputy stepped into the back and wrinkled her nose.

"Whoa!" she gasped. "What is that _smell_?"

"Now, this is _lanolin_. Used for waterproofing," he explained.

"Smells like livestock," she complained.

"Well, it is the reason why sheep's pelts repel water."

"It stinks! Um, if there was a reason why you called the Sheriff's department…if you wanna talk about that quickly…or…outside…"

"Yes," he answered, standing. "I just wanted to express my condolences, really. The sheriff was a good man," he paused. "You're still wearing the deputy badge?" he questioned, prompting her to look down at the badge on her belt. "Well, he's been gone for two weeks now. And I believe after two weeks of acting as sheriff, the job becomes yours. You'll have to wear the real badge."

"Yeah, I guess…I'm just not in a hurry," she sighed. "So, um…thanks for the kind words." She turned to leave. Gold followed her.

"I have his things."

"What?"

"The sheriff," he explained. "He rented an apartment that I own. Another reason for my call, really. I wanted to offer you a keepsake."

"I don't need anything," she said plainly. He noted that she seemed to be rather unaffected by the fact that the man had fallen dead after kissing her. Perhaps she wasn't in a relationship with the late sheriff as everyone had assumed.

"As you wish. I'll give them to Mayor Mills," he paused to rifle through the box of belongings. "Seems like she was the closest thing he had to family."

"Not sure about that…," she muttered.

"No love lost there, I see," he sighed. "Look, I feel that all of this stuff is heading directly for the trash bin. You really should take something. Look," he continued, pulling the sheriff's jacket out of the box. "His jacket?"

"No," she replied, shaking her head.

"Look here," he said, pulling a radio set out. "Your boy might like these, don't you think? You could play together."

"I don't…," she trailed off, shaking her head again.

"No, please," he insisted, holding them out to her. "They grow up so fast." _And before you know it, they're gone from you._

"Thanks," she said, finally taking them.

"You enjoy these with your boy," he said lightly. "The time together is precious, you know." She looked at him quizzically. "That's the thing about children: before you know it, you loose them."

Emma left the shop, confused, and went to find Henry. As she drove, she wondered what Gold had meant. Maybe he had a kid at some point in his past? She found him at the Castle. She went to sit with him, holding out one of the radios.

"Brought you something," she told him as she sat properly. "Thought we could use them together for Operation Cobra."

"Thanks…," Henry murmured, clearly upset. Worried, Emma nudged him a little.

"Oh, come on. What's wrong?" she asked. "You've been ducking me for weeks."

"I think we should stop Cobra stuff for a while," he murmured. "You don't play with the Curse. Look what happened to Graham…"

"Henry, I told you," she sighed. "They did an autopsy. It was totally natural causes." Regina must have gotten to him somehow. Granted, it was strange for someone Graham's age to have died of heart failure.

"Okay, whatever!" he snapped. "You don't believe? Good. That should keep you from messing with it. And getting killed."

"You're worried about me?"

"She killed Graham because he was good. And you're good."

"Henry…"

"Good loses," he said dejectedly. "Good always loses. Because good has to play fair. Evil doesn't. She's evil. This is probably best. I don't wanna upset her any more." with that, he stood, handing back the radio, and went to his bike. Emma sat there in stunned silence.

She sat on the structure for a while, pulling out her cell to send a text to Lacey. It seemed to her that Lacey was one of the most reliable people in town and could at least give her some advice on what to do. The only response from her neighbour was the same as Gold's: two weeks as acting sheriff should transition into her being the actual sheriff.

So, Emma went to the department to trade badges. She started to put on the sheriff's badge, but when she started to clip the badge on her belt, someone familiar cleared her throat.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she heard Regina say from the door. "That's not for you."

"It's been two weeks," she sighed. "Promotion is automatic."

"Unless the mayor appoints someone else within the time period," the mayor sneered. "Which I'm doing today."

"So, who's it gonna be?" she snapped.  
"After due reflection: Sidney Glass."

"Sidney from the newspaper?" Emma questioned. "How does that even make sense?"

"Well, he's covered the Sheriff's office for as long as anyone can remember," she explained, as if that actually explained anything.

"And he'll do whatever you want him to. You just can _not_ stand the fact that things have been getting better around here, can you?" Emma raged.

"Better? Are you referring to Graham's death as 'better'?"

"No," she muttered. Not that Graham's death really had anything to do with it. Regina was just jealous that Graham had actively tried to get Emma to like him.

"He was a good man, Miss Swan," Regina snapped. Emma still didn't see how his death correlated to the entire problem. "He made this town safe." _From what? A harmless newcomer that you poisoned after an absolutely harmless attempt at dropping your son off?_ Emma thought bitterly. "And, forgive me for saying this, you have _not_ earned the right of wearing his badge." _Oh_ now _you ask for forgiveness about a bullshit move of yours?!_

"Graham picked _me_ to be deputy," she bit, wanting to punch the mayor again.

"He was wrong." For a moment, she thought that Regina looked very attractive when they were arguing, but she pushed the thought aside before she could really think it. 'Evil Queen' or not, Regina was abusive towards _her_ son, and she wasn't about to let herself think that the woman was even remotely attractive.

"No," she argued. "He knew what he was doing. He _freed this office_ from your leash. You're _not_ getting it back!"

"Actually, I just did," the mayor sneered. "Miss Swan, you're fired." The woman snatched the badge from Emma and sauntered out. For a split second, it crossed her mind that Regina had a nice ass, but she shoved that thought aside as she stormed to the apartment.

As she walked in the cool air, she calmed down just enough to wonder why she was suddenly seeing things about Regina that could be attractive to her. Sure, she'd dated a couple of girls over the years, but it wasn't the same. Somehow, she was _attracted_ to Henry's abusive adopted mother. And if Henry's theory on the curse was to be believed, Regina would also be her step-grandmother. She shook her head a little to clear her thoughts, reminding herself that Regina was abusive and controlling, and that the _bitch_ had just fired her for no reason other than jealousy over some imagined relationship.

When she got there, she found a tool kit and the whiskey. She downed a shot or two before grabbing the toaster and attacking it with a hammer. Mentally, she made a promise to replace Mary Margaret's toaster when she calmed down. It didn't entirely help, so she turned on some hard rock music as loud as she could get it. Just _let_ Regina try and do something about a noise complaint while she was armed with a four pound hammer.

After a while, the toaster was good and broken and she tried to repair it as an alternative to destroying something else. To be honest, she had no idea what she was doing, and so was doing a terrible job of 'fixing' it. That was when Mary Margaret came home.

"Toaster broken?" she asked after turning the music off. Emma sighed a little.

"It wasn't when I started with it. Pretty sure it is now. I just needed to _hit_ something," she explained bitterly. _Well, something_ besides _the mayor's stupid pretty face_ , she added in her head.

"What's going on?"

"Regina _fired me_ so she can put one of her own puppets in as Sheriff. That's _my_ job!" she raged.

"Never heard you so passionate about it before. What happened?" Mary Margaret's comment made her think for a second.

"Oh, I just know I want it back," she muttered sourly.

"There must be a reason."

"Maybe…," she started, thinking about Henry. And how much _easier_ it was for her to work with trying to convince Henry of reality with his curse obsession. A knock came from the door. "I just want to beat her," she finished, moving to open the door. Mr. Gold was standing there, holding a thick binder.

"Good evening, Miss Swan," he greeted. Emma saw Lacey leaving her apartment over Gold's shoulder, and when the woman saw who was in the building, she practically ran down the stairs. _That was weird…_ , she thought as she turned her attention back to Gold. "Sorry for the intrusion, but there's something I'd like to discuss with you."

"I'll let you two talk," Mary Margaret sighed, slipping out past Gold and starting down the stairs. She was probably going to find something to do with Lacey or Katherine, those two seemed to be Mary Margaret's absolute best friends. It was a good thing, too, because Emma was a terrible friend.

"Come on in," she sighed.

"Thank you," he said as she stepped aside and he walked into the apartment.  "I-I heard about what happened. Such an injustice." How had he heard about it? She shrugged it off, figuring that since he apparently owned half the town he also had a network of information about the same as Regina's.

"Yeah, well, what's done is done," she growled.

"Spoken like a true fighter."

"I know what chance I'll have," she muttered. "She's the mayor and I'm, well… _me_."

"Miss Swan, two people with a common goal can accomplish many things. Two people with a common enemy can accomplish even more. How would you like a benefactor?"

"A benefactor?"

"Do you mind?" he asked, gesturing to the table. She shrugged and he sat down. "You know, it really is quite shocking how few people study the town charter."

"The town charter?" _What the hell does that have to do with anything?_

"It's quite comprehensive on the mayor's authority," he explained, answering her unspoken question. It brought a cheeky grin to the blonde's face. If there was something in the charter that could give her an advantage over Regina, that would be _perfect_. "Maybe she is not quite as powerful as she seems."

_Then…_

Zoso saw the same man from the day before trying to run away with his son through the forest. Perfect. He disguised himself as a beggar, magicking his skin to a normal shade. He positioned himself to bump into them.

"I'm not having you taken away to the Ogre Wars," the man said just before they came to him.

"Alms for the poor?" he asked, holding out his hand. "Alms for the poor?"

"Yes," the man murmured putting a few coins in his hand. Zoso could see that was nearly the last of what the man had on him, money-wise. Desperate, but kind. Yes, he would be perfect. The Dark One followed them, barely noting the conversation.

Then Horder arrived. Before they could hide, they were spotted. Zoso watched the exchange from behind a tree, ignoring the words. The man was forced to kiss Horder's boot as recompense for trying to run. Finally, Horder left the pair alone with a promise to return on the boy's birthday. So his prey was a coward, to make it perfect. Zoso approached them, frightening the coward on the ground.

"No, no, no!" he encouraged. "No, it's okay. Let me help you. Let me help you home."

"Thank you, old man," the boy said softly as Zoso moved to help the man up.

"I don't have money to pay you," he argued.

"I can think of another way," the Dark One assured him. "You just leave me whatever you can spare, and I'll find a way to be your benefactor. Come," he insisted, helping him home.

_Now…_

Emma stood in the doorway of the Mayor's office as Regina gave a kitschy speech in front of reporters. She was about to put the badge on Sidney's shirt when Emma finally had enough. She was good and ready to put that bitch in her place.

"Hang on a second," she spoke up, interrupting.

"Oh, Miss Swan, this is _not_ appropriate," the mayor sighed.

"The only thing not appropriate is this ceremony," she snapped. "She does not have the power to appoint him," she told the reporters.

"The town charter clearly states that the Mayor shall appoint—"

" _A candidate_ ," Emma interrupted her. "You could appoint a candidate. It calls for an election."

"The term 'candidate' is applied loosely," Regina argued.

"No, it's not. It requires a vote. And guess what, Madam Mayor. I'm running."

"Fine, so is Sidney."

"I am?" the confused man questioned. "I am," he amended after receiving a sharp look from the mayor.

"With my full support. I guess we'll learn a little something about the will of the people."

"I guess we will," Emma agreed, smirking.

_Then…_

Zoso was sitting by the fire, sharing some stew with the man, who had introduced himself as Rumplestiltskin. The poor man didn't realize just how powerful names could be.

"Another day gone. There'll be no fleeing now…," Rumplestiltskin sighed dejectedly.

"No," Zoso argued. "You need to find another way. You need to _choose_ a different path."

"Choose? What choice do I have?"

"Everyone has a choice," he insisted.

"I'm the town coward. The only _choice_ I have is which corner to hide in. I'm lame, friendless….the only thing I’ve got is my boy. And they're going to take him away from me. If they take him away, I would truly, truly become dust."

"Not if you have power," was his response. Yes, Rumplestiltskin was a very desperate soul, but almost too cowardly to think for himself.

"You may as well say diamonds…"

"Get a hold of yourself!" he said, unintentionally loud. " _Think_. Why do you think that someone as powerful as the Dark One would work for a useless tool like the Duke of the Frontlands?"

"Tell me."

"The Duke has the Dark One in thrall. He's enslaved him with the power of a mystical dagger and on the blade is written a name, the _true name_ of the Dark One. If you steal the dagger, then you would control the Dark One yourself. And then no one would be able to take your son away from you."

"To keep a man like the Dark One as a slave? No, I…I-I can't. I'd be terrified."

"Then, perhaps, instead of _controlling_ the power, you need to _take_ it," he suggested. And the poor fool was too desperate to question how this beggar knew so much about the Dark One or what he would be offering in exchange for this power. He was about to make a deal that he didn't understand, and that was perfectly fine for Zoso.

_Now…_

Mr. Gold was in his shop, contemplating his plan to ensure Emma's victory. It was in his best interest for her to be sheriff. And it was also part of an unfortunate deal he'd made with one of those gypsies. His end was to get Swan into the position of Sheriff for their part of helping convince her to break the curse.

"Regina," he greeted when the mayor stepped into the shop. She flipped the sign on the door. "Shall I remove some things? Make a bit of space for your rage?" he questioned.

Emma went into Granny's the next afternoon and sat with Henry, nudging him a little. He was still dodging her, and she was getting tired of it. She wanted to spend time with him. Be the real mother for him that she never had.

"How was school?" she asked.

"Okay," he answered, focused on the newspaper article he was reading.

"You're reading that paper pretty hard…," she commented.

"Sidney wrote it," he said, passing the paper to her. She stared at the front page article, it was the second front page that had featured her mug shot, though this one was from when she was seventeen. _Ex-Jailbird: Emma Swan birthed babe behind bars_ was the title. "Is it a lie?"

"No," she answered honestly, disappointed in Regina's tactics. How _low_ could that woman stoop? The thought crossed her again that somehow Regina had something to do with Graham's death, but that was impossible.

"I was born in jail?"

"Yes," she sighed. "These records were supposed to be sealed. Tell me you're not scarred for life."

"I'm not. Well, not by this."

"Good," she put the paper aside. "Then, let's throw this out and we'll get our news from something more reliable. Like…the internet," she joked.

"This is what I've been trying to tell you…good can't beat evil, because good doesn't do this kind of thing. My mom plays dirty, that's why you can't beat her. Ever."

"I have a new ally. Mr. Gold said he's going to help."

"Mr. Gold? He's even _worse_ than she is. You already owe him one favour, you don't want to owe him any more! _Don't do this_ ," he said firmly.

Of course she already planned to ask Gold what he'd get out of this arrangement, but she was more concerned with beating Regina for once and keeping her foothold in the town. Emma sighed a little and left the diner with the paper in hand. She went to the mayor's office and slammed it in front of Regina.

"This was a juvenile record. This was _sealed_ by court order. I don't know how you got it, but that's abuse of power and illegal," she growled.

"Oh, I'm sorry. You didn't want people to know you cut his cord with a shiv?" Regina asked, preparing to leave the office.

"I don't care what people know, but this hurts _Henry_ ," she snapped.

"He would've learned eventually. We all lose our heroes at some point," was her sour reply. Emma fumed and followed her out of the room.

"He doesn't _need_ to lose anything more! He's _depressed_ , Madam Mayor. He doesn't have any…any hope. Don't you _see_ that?!"

"He's fine," Regina insisted, switching the lights off.

"He's _not_ fine! I mean, think about it. Watching his adoptive mother throw an illegal smear campaign against his birth mother? You don't think that would be upsetting?"

"All I did was expose him to the truth," Regina sighed. _Yeah, a truth that hurt him when he's already hurting_ , Emma thought sourly. "And as for the _legality_ , _I_ did nothing wrong. But you and Sidney will have a chance to get into all that at the debate."

"Debate?" she asked in shock. Weren't debates usually just for campaigns for mayor and higher? They started down the stairs.

"Yes, Miss Swan, there's a debate. You two can talk about jail time and Juvenile records and maybe even your new association with Mr. Gold. He's a snake, Miss Swan. You need to be careful who you get into bed with."

"I'm not getting into bed with anyone," Emma snapped. "I'm just fighting fire with—" she broke off as Regina opened the door, setting off an explosion. Both were knocked back, but Regina was immobilized by a large piece of debris on her ankle. Ignoring the fire, Emma moved to free Regina. "All right, come on. Let's go! We've got to get out of here."

"I can't move! You have to get me out. Help me!"

_Then…_

Zoso watched from a distance as Rumplestiltskin and his boy prepared to storm the Duke's estate to steal the dagger. He couldn't help but grin under his hood.

_Now…_

Emma sighed tiredly and turned, thinking of a way to get both of them out safely. Without a word, she made sure Regina was under the smoke and turned to jump the flames. She didn't _want_ to help the conniving bitch, but if she didn't Henry would be even more broken than he already was. She had to help Regina, for Henry's sake.

"You're going to leave me, aren't you?" Regina asked dejectedly, grasping Emma's wrist.

Silently, Emma pulled her hand away and jumped over the flames in the doorway. She found the fire extinguisher and put the fire out between her and Regina. She tossed the extinguisher aside when she finished, coughing a little from the smoke, and went to pull Regina to her feet, supporting her as they headed outside. When she got her out of the smoke, Emma helped Regina to sit on the steps, but the woman shouted in pain as her injured ankle was jostled.

"Oh! Ow, ow! My ankle! Set me down _gently_!" the mayor complained.

"Seriously? You're complaining about how I saved your life?" Emma griped as fire engines approached the scene. Someone must have seen the fire and called it in. Or it had been worse than Emma saw.

"The firemen are here. It's not like we were really in danger," Regina muttered.

 _The way you'd been complaining and panicking before, I almost thought you'd been personally on fire_ , Emma thought bitterly.

"Fine," she snapped, starting to walk away. "Next time, I'll just…I'll just…," _leave you to die and kill Henry emotionally_. "Ah, you know what?" She turned back to Regina. "Next time, I'll do the _same thing_. And the time after that, because that's what decent human beings go. That's what _good people do_ ," with that, she walked away to let the paramedics deal with the mayor.

She barely registered the conversations and events that followed, wondering how the fire had started. It struck her. Gold had been waterproofing something in his shop when he gave her those radios. He was just crooked enough to pull something like staging the epic fire rescue of the mayor by her rival. She'd have to find proof though.

" _This_ is how good wins," she told Henry when the crowd cleared, her supporters off to work on her campaign for sheriff. "You do something good, people see it, and then they want to help you."

"Maybe you're right…," he muttered.

"You see, Henry? We don't have to fight—" she paused, seeing a piece of fabric in the nearby debris. "Dirty." That fabric was the same as what Gold had been preparing in his shop. She sent Henry off to check on Regina and picked up the fabric.

Gold was cleaning soot from his hands in the shop. He looked over when he heard the bell on the door jingle. Emma came into the shop and he smirked, putting the dirty rag under the counter.

"Loads of visitors today," he commented. She slammed the door. "I do hope you're not going to break my little bell."

" _You_ set the fire," she accused.  
"I've been right here, Miss Swan," he said truthfully. He'd only left for a few minutes to do just that. She stormed over to him, holding the remnants of a piece of fabric.

"Take a whiff," she snapped, presenting it to him. "It smells like your sheep crap oil. Turns out, it's flammable."

"Oh. Are you sure? There's some construction work going on at City Hall at the moment. There's _loads_ of flammable solvents used in construction."

"Why did you do it?"

" _If_ I did it," he snapped. "If I did it, that would be because you cannot win without something big. Something like, oh I don't know, being the hero in a fire?"

"How could you even know I'd be there at the right time?" she growled.

"Regina's not the only one with eyes and ears in this town," he said with a smirk. "Or maybe…I'm just _intuitive_ when I'm involved."

"I could've run and left her there," she argued. No, she wouldn't have, she was her parents' daughter. Her parents wouldn't have left Regina to die no matter how much the woman had done to them if they were in that situation.

"Not the type."

"I can't go along with this."

"You just did," he said softly, a half smile forming. "This is just the price of election, Miss Swan."

"A price I'm _not_ willing to pay," she snapped, throwing the fabric down on the counter. "Find another sucker!"

"Okay, go ahead and expose me. But if you do…just think about what you'll be exposing and what you'll be waking away from," he said lightly, earning a glare from the blonde. "Oh, yes. And um, who you might be disappointing." _Oh if looks could kill_ , he thought as she turned in her exit to glare at him and slam the door open and shut again. The bell actually fell off of its mount this time.

_Then…_

All was going as he'd hoped. Zoso watched as Rumplestiltskin found the dagger and took it from the castle. He wasn't disappointed in Rumplestiltskin's actions. The so-called coward was surprisingly brave when it came to protecting his son.

_Now…_

Emma was getting increasingly nervous as she paced the stage before the debate. She went to peak out at the crowd, seeing Henry on the front row. She backed up just in time for Mary Margaret, Lacey, and Katherine to surround her with encouragement. Mary Margaret offered her speech cards, while Lacey handed her a bottle of water. She gave the bartender a look.

"Don't worry, it's not spiked. But when you win, I'll be treating you to a full round at the pub," the brunette winked.

"I'm not going to win…," Emma sighed.

"What are you talking about?" Katherine asked.

"Everyone's talking about what you did in the fire," Mary Margaret agreed. Yes, that was her winning point, but it was a lie.

"No, Henry's right. I can't beat Regina at this. Not the way she fights. Watch and see." She couldn't do the dirty move and ignore the truth of the fire.

"Is this really about beating Regina?" Mary Margaret asked.

"It's just…," she looked back out at the crowd and Henry sitting there, looking so excited.

"Henry."

"I wanna show him that good can actually win."

"That's why you want to win it for _him_ ," Mary Margaret sighed.

"But why do you want to win for _yourself_?" Lacey asked her.

"That _is_ why. I wanna show him that a hero can win. And if I'm not…if I'm not a hero…and I'm not the saviour…then what part do I have in his life?" she paused. "Okay, there it is."

"There it is…"

Emma looked out at the crowd again to see Mr. Gold enter and sit towards the back. She narrowed her eyes and steeled herself. She _had_ to tell the truth.

_Then…_

Zoso was watching and waiting as Rumplestiltskin sent his boy home, the dagger in one hand. When the boy was gone, Rumplestiltskin looked at the dagger under the light of his torch.

"Zoso? Zoso!" he called. "I summon thee." To keep him guessing, Zoso waited a few moments. He was already close enough that the call didn't affect him. He moved behind his prey just as he was turning to leave in disappointment. Startled, the coward stumbled back and dropped his torch.

"You were asking for me?" he said softly in his normal tone, rather than the human voice he'd been using to seduce the man. Terrified, Rumplestiltskin held out the dagger.

"Submit, oh Dark One! I control you."

"Yes, you do. Wield the power wisely. You can wield it anytime now. It's almost dawn. That means it's your son's birthday," he sneered. "I bet Horder and his men are already on their way to your house to collect him."

"No," the other argued. "They can't take him."

"You don't control _them_ , you control _me_. Have you ever wondered…was he really your child at all? Unlike you, he's not a coward and he yearns to fight, and die, in glory."

"No…"

"What a poor bargain that would be to lay down your soul to have your bastard son," he baited him. "So, I ask you, what would you have me to do?"

"Die!" Rumplestiltskin cried as he charged, stabbing the dagger into Zoso's chest, the force of his advance knocking them both to the ground. The light of the still burning torch lit up Zoso's face as the magic faded from him. He laughed at the shock on the other's face.

"It's you. You're the beggar…"

"Looks like you made a deal you didn't understand," he rasped. "I don't think you'll do that again."

"You told me to kill you…"

"My life was such a burden. You'll see. Magic always comes with a price. And now…it's yours to pay."

"Why me? Why _me_?"

"I know how to recognize…a desperate soul…," he whispered with his last breath.

_Now…_

Emma was sitting at the bar in Granny's, drinking. The votes were probably in already and Regina gloating in her victory.

"Another?" Ruby offered.

"Oh, hell yes." She looked over as Ruby took the empty glass from in front of Emma. Henry was coming into the diner. "Hey, Henry," she greeted as he crossed to her and sat with her. He put one of the radios on the counter in front of her. "What's this for?"

"You stood up to Mr. Gold. It's pretty amazing."

"Well, he did something illegal."

"That's what heroes do. Expose stuff like that," he said brightly as Ruby put a fresh drink in front of Emma and a glass of milk in front of Henry. "I shouldn't have given up on Operation Cobra," he whispered to her. Just then, Regina and Sidney came in.

"I thought I might find you here. With a drink, and my son."

"Here to card me, officer?" she asked Sidney sourly, ignoring the temptation to ask the mayor about her ankle. The woman didn't seem to be limping or in any pain, so she didn't bother worrying about it.

"Well, not at all," he answered. "In fact, I think I'll join you."

"Here? I don't know, I think they're setting up a back room for the victory party."

"Oh, well, you'll have to tell me what that's like."

"Congratulations," Regina said bitterly, putting the Sheriff's badge on the counter in front of Emma. "Sheriff Swan."

"Wait, what?" Henry gasped.

"There was a very close vote. But people really seem to like the idea of a sheriff brave enough to stand up to Mr. Gold."

"Are you joking?" Emma muttered in disbelief.

"She isn't joking," Sidney piped in.

"You didn't pick a great _friend_ in Mr. Gold, Miss Swan. But he does make _superlative_ enemy. Enjoy that."

The next day, Emma was setting up in the actual Sheriff's office, and she noticed that Graham's jacket was hanging on the coat rack.

"The Sheriff's jacket. I thought you might want it, after all," Gold said from the door, startling her.

"You do know I'm armed, right?" she griped, turning to face him.

"So, part of the act, my dear," he smirked, entering the room. "Political theatre, in an actual theatre. I knew no one was going to vote for you unless we gave you some kind of…extraordinary quality. And I'm afraid saving old Regina's ass from the fire just wasn't gonna do. We had to give you a higher form of bravery. They had to see you defy me. And they did."

"No way," she said, shocked. "There's no way you planned that."

"Everyone's afraid of Regina, but they are _more_ afraid of me. By standing up to me, you won them over. It was the only way."

"You knew I'd agree…"

"Oh, yeah, I know how to recognize a desperate soul."

"Why did you do it?" she asked after a long moment of silence.

"We made a deal sometime back, Miss Swan. We established that you owed me a favour. I know that can be a bad feeling, owing someone. Now that you're sheriff, I'm sure we'll find some way for you to pay back what you owe me," he said, turning to leave. "Congratulations." He left, leaving a bad taste in Emma's mouth.

It was then, that she noticed a bouquet of violets sitting on the cabinet near the hall. Surprised, she went to pick them up and move them. A note was in the arrangement and she grabbed the piece of cardstock. The only word on the card was _congratulations_.

Eyes narrowed, she went to the computer and did a little research on violets. One of the first few articles led her to a piece referencing the exchange of violets between bisexual and lesbian lovers. Another told her that the flowers in the arrangement sitting on her desk were all romantic symbols ranging from faithfulness to a hope for happiness*. Even more confused, Emma closed out her searches and looked for a way to distract herself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Sources for my research on Violets here: [Common meanings of violets](http://thelanguageofflowers.com/language.html); [this article references the exchange of violets and its possible origins](http://www.lesbian-friends.com/lesbian-symbols.htm)


	9. True North

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma does everything in her power to help a pair of homeless siblings find their father before they get thrown into the Foster system. Back in the Enchanted Forest, Hansel and Gretel get separated from their father and are asked by the Evil Queen to retrieve something for her from a blind witch.

_Now…_

Henry was standing in the drug store, reading a few pages of a comic. He was honestly just killing time.

"What are you reading?" a girl asked, surprising him. He looked up. She was wearing the school uniform, but he didn't recognize her.

" _Hulk vs. Wolverine_ ," he answered simply, putting the comic down. He didn't have enough allowance left to buy it.

"I'm Ava," she introduced herself. "I keep seeing you around school. You're in Miss Blanchard's class, right?" He grinned and nodded. Finally, he met someone that didn't immediately class him as 'the mayor's son'. Maybe he could finally have a friend.

"Almost ready, Ava?" a boy asked from behind Henry. If she was gonna leave, then that blew his shot at a friend. His face fell.

"This is my brother, Nicholas," Ava explained.

"Hi," the boy greeted. Henry's smile returned. "Come on, let's go."

"You wanna come hang out?" Ava offered.

"Sure!" he answered brightly, picking up his backpack. It felt a little heavier than it had been before, but he shrugged it off. The three started to leave when Mr. Clark (Henry had a feeling that before the curse he was Sneezey, one of the seven dwarfs) pushed the door closed. _What's going on?_ He thought.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" he asked, pausing to sneeze. He pointed an accusing finger at Henry before he could ask what was going on. "Open up your bag."

"What?"

"Don't think I didn't see you robbing me! Open your bag."

"But, I didn't take anything," he defended himself. It started to make sense as Mr. Clark took his bag from him and pulled a few chocolate bars out of it.

"And a liar, too," the clerk accused. Henry turned to Ava. It all made sense now.

" _That's_ why you were talking to me," he bit. "So your brother could put the stuff in there."

"Henry, I'm shocked," Mr. Clark muttered. "And you two, just who do you think you are?" Even after his reaction, did Mr. Clark _really_ think that Henry had helped them to steal? One of his moms was the _mayor_ and the other was the _sheriff_ , but he wasn't gonna push his luck when Regina already tried to make him look like a lunatic to everyone. Maybe Regina had done that too well with making him look crazy.

_Then…_

Regina was looking for a child she could send to retrieve her prize from the witch that had stolen it. She was using her mirrors to search, when finally a reflection caught in an axe showed her a scene of a woodcutter talking to his daughter, who asked for her own axe. That seemed like a good prospect.  She would have watched longer, but the girl soon left her father.

"And, have your brother accompany you," the woodcutter said to her back.

"Okay," she started to leave with their cart.

"Wait!" the father stopped her. He moved closer to the girl and put a compass around her neck. "Take this."

"Your compass?"

"So you won't get lost. A family always needs to be able to find one another."

"Yeah." The brother came into Regina's small view.

"Okay?"

"Okay."

"Go, be safe," he instructed and the pair of children left Regina's sight. With a smirk, she ordered the man to be retrieved before the children could return to find him. She searched to see if the compass would catch a reflection and it soon did. The children were playing around, dawdling. Good.

In their conversation, she learned that the girl's name was Gretel and the boy was Hansel. Finally, as it was starting to get dark, Gretel lifted the compass to find their way home.

"Follow me," she told her brother and they followed the compass point. The queen decided it was the perfect time to go for a ride. She put on a hat, having already dressed, and went to her carriage, instructing the guard on where to go.

While they rode, she pulled a hand mirror out and watched as the pair of siblings made it to the clearing they'd left their father in. Of course, the man was gone. "This is where we left him," she heard Gretel murmur.

"So why isn't he here?" Hansel asked, worried. The pair started running around the clearing just as the carriage arrived on the road nearby. Of course, she heard the noise the arrival made on the twig ridden road both in her mirror and from her position.

The pair ran to the sound, shouting for their father. She put the mirror down and laughed a little at how easy this was going to be. She stepped out of the carriage when they came to the road and bumped into the guard's horse.

"What are you doing in my forest?" she asked ominously.

_Now…_

Henry couldn't have been more embarrassed if he tried. His mom was there, but Emma hadn't made it yet. Mr. Clark was still spouting accusations, practically ignoring that Ava and Nicholas were the real culprits.

"I'm sorry, Madam Mayor," Mr. Clark said to Regina. "Your son was shoplifting."

"Were you?" she asked Henry himself, a look in her eyes saying that he'd better not lie to her. He swallowed a little and shook his head.

"Well, look for yourself," Mr. Clark snapped, pointing to the part of the counter where he'd dumped the entire contents of Henry's backpack. Regina took a good look at the goods.

"My son doesn't eat candies," she sighed. "And he knows better than to steal." Finally, she was on his side about something. "It's obviously those two," she said as she picked up his backpack and sorted out the things that actually belonged in it. She zipped it up and handed it over to him. "We're going," she started to guide Henry to the exit and he shot a glare at Ava and Nicholas for using him as their scapegoat.

Emma finally got there, and for a moment Henry only saw a blonde heroine in shining armour (even though it was only her Sheriff badge glinting in the light).

"Henry," Emma greeted. "What happened?" she asked him.

"Miss Swan," Regina snapped. "Must I remind you that genetics mean nothing? You are _not_ his mother, and it's all taken care of."

"I'm here because I'm the _sheriff_ ," Emma snapped in return. _Seriously, Mom? Mr. Clark was accusing me of stealing, do you think he didn't call the station to have me arrested or something?_ Henry thought bitterly.

"Oh," she sighed, put in her place. "That's right. Go on, do your job." Emma walked by Regina and Henry grinned at her. "Take care of those miscreants," his mom bit before pushing him out of the store. She clearly wouldn't let him watch Emma's first 'big' case as Sheriff.

_Then…_

"Please forgive us," Gretel pleaded with Regina. "We didn't mean to bother you. We're just…we just lost our father."

"Two helpless children," she sneered. "Lost and alone, a family torn asunder. Such a sad and moving story." She turned to the guards. "Guards, seize them," she instructed as Gretel pulled out a sling.

"Hansel, run!" Gretel shouted, putting a stone in her sling and flinging it at a guard's head. She then turned and ran after her brother. Regina rolled her eyes and stopped her guards from following with their swords.

Instead, she decided to play with them a bit. She appeared in front of them in a swirl of smoke, laughing.

"Running from me is foolish," she giggled as they tried to change direction to get away. She used magic to capture them by the ankles with some tree roots. "Foolish, but also brave." She walked towards them. "And that bravery, may just have saved you and your family's lives."

"You…you're letting us go?" Gretel asked carefully as she released her spell.

"Oh, I am doing so much more than that," she said, watching them get to their feet. "I am going to find your father."

"You are…?" Hansel asked hopefully.

"Why?" Gretel asked, suspicious. The girl was smart, probably too smart for her own good.

"Because you two, are going to do something for me," she explained.

"And then…you're going to take us home?"

_Now…_

"This it?" Emma asked as she parked her cruiser in front of the house they'd told her was theirs. Honestly, she didn't believe their story. She could tell they were lying. She looked back to see Ava nod a little. She unbuckled her seatbelt and moved to get out of the car to walk them to the door.

"Please, no. If our parents see you, they'll be so embarrassed," Ava pleaded with her.

"Did Henry tell you about my superpower?" she asked lightly.

"We…we just met him…"

"I have the ability to tell when anybody is lying. Tell me the truth, money problems aside, is everything okay at home?"

"Yeah, we're great," Ava lied. "Can we go?"

"All right," Emma relented. After they were out of the car and starting up the walkway, she drove around the corner. She parked the cruiser and got out, watching as they snuck around the back of the house and disappeared. She sighed and went to the door, checking the lock.

Seeing it was open, she went inside and made a bit of noise as she searched the house for inhabitants. It seemed pretty empty. She frowned a little and hid just enough that they couldn't see her when they came up from a trap door in the floor. She walked up behind them.

"Why did you guys lie to me?" she asked, startling them. "Where are your parents?"

"We…don't have any," Ava answered dejectedly.

The sheriff sighed and took them both back to the cruiser. She drove them to the station, but only long enough to search for their school records. She found a small file in a drawer about them, apparently they'd been brought in for stealing before. She took the file and then loaded the kids up in her bug before driving back to the apartment.

Meanwhile, Regina was doing her own research. She checked the two children's birth certificates out of the hall of records and even went so far as to contact Social Services. See the sheriff weasel through _this_. She was just waiting for Emma to realize that she'd been taking action. Those kids had made a mistake when they'd used her son as a scapegoat.

Sure enough, Emma arrived with a pissed off look on her face. Regina reveled in it. Before Emma could say anything, she held up a hand.

"Don't worry, Miss Swan, you can relax. I've contacted Social Services. Turns out these kids are on their own. They need help," she explained herself plainly.

"Which is exactly what I'm trying to do," Emma snapped. "I'm trying to find their father."

"Well, he doesn't exist," Regina retorted.

"He has to."

"Of course, biologically, he exists. But there's no record of him, which means we have no choice. These children need a home, so they will be put in the foster system."

"Storybrooke has a foster system?" Emma asked quizzically.

"No, but I have contacted the state. Maine's group homes unfortunately are filled, but they put us in touch with two homes in Boston. A boy's home and a girl's."

"They're separating them?" Emma asked, outraged.

"I don't like it, either," she lied. "But we have no choice. You need to have them in Boston tonight."

"Me?"

"Well, you wanted to be sheriff. This is was sheriffs do. Yes, you're taking them."

"No, I promised them they wouldn't be separated."

"Then you should stop making promises you can't keep," she said sharply. "These children need a home. I'm just trying to find the best one."

_Then…_

The queen led the children to a certain distance away from a particular house, making small talk with them to gain their trust.

"This is close enough," she said when she stopped walking.

"Close enough to what?" Gretel asked warily.

"The home," she started, turning to face the two children. "Of the Blind Witch."

"That doesn't sound good…," Gretel murmured.

"She has something of mine, and I need you to get it back," Regina explained.

"What is it?"

"Something I need to defeat a very wicked and powerful enemy. It's kept in a black leather satchel inside her house."

"Well, why don't you get it yourself?" Gretel asked. "How come you need us?"

"Because the house is protected by magic. I can't enter. But luckily the spell doesn't work on children. You'll have to wait here until nightfall, and then once the witch is asleep, you can sneak in."

"And if we do this, you promise you'll find our father?"

"Oh, indeed I will," she answered, and the girl nodded in response. "But there's one more thing. The witch's house is…unique. And because of this you have to take special precaution once you're inside."

"Like what?"

"No matter what you do, no matter how you're tempted, don't eat _anything_ ," she answered, pushing a branch out of the way so the children could see that the house ahead was made of gingerbread.

_Now…_

Henry came to Emma's office a while later with his music teacher in tow. He knew that she and her sister would help. Besides Miss Glacie's friend Lacey, Miss LeFaye was his biggest supporter when it came to Operation Cobra.

"Any luck?" he asked, catching Emma's attention.

"No," she answered, looking frustrated. What had his mom done this time?

"I know who they are. Brother and sister, lost, no parents…Hansel and Gretel."

"And do you know anything about their dad?"

"Just that he abandoned them…"

"Right, sounds like a familiar story. Whoever this guy is, he could be in Laos by now."

"No, he's here," Henry insisted. Clearly Emma hadn't noticed his teacher behind him.

"Just how do you know that?"

"No one leaves Storybrooke," Miss LeFaye spoke up, startling Emma. "No one comes, no one goes. It's just how it works."

"…I came here…"

"Because you're special," Henry said. "You're the first stranger here, ever."

"Henry, you're not talking about Cobra stuff with a complete stranger here…?"

"This is my music teacher."

"Marlo LeFaye," Miss LeFaye said lightly. "I know all about his 'Operation Cobra'. And I can help."

"How?"

"Well, if you don't find their father before the deadline, I'll personally adopt them both. As I'm sure you've noticed, bad things have a tendency to happen when someone tries to leave this town with intentions of never coming back. And then there's the problem. I don't know who their father is, but I'm sure you know a way to find him. They might have something of their father's," with that, Miss LeFaye left the station.

"Is she always like that…?"

"Yeah…kind of. Usually she's like Miss Frizzle from _Magic School Bus_ ," he sighed. "Hey…can you tell me about _my_ dad?"

"After I find this guy, Kid," she answered.

"Promise?"

"Yeah, it's a promise."

"Okay then. I can wait."

Emma went back to the apartment after dropping Henry at the mayor's house with firm instruction to stay there unless she radioed him. When she got there, she went to her room and grabbed a box. She put it on the table and motioned for Nicholas and Ava to join her.

"I want to show you guys something," she said, pulling her baby blanket out of the box.

"What's that?"

"It's my baby blanket," she explained. "Something I've held onto my whole life. It's the only thing I have from my parents. I've spent a lot of time with a _lot_ of kids in your situation. And all of them, all of us, we hold onto stuff. I want to find your father, but I need your help. Is there anything of his you've held onto?"

"I _might_ have something," Ava said softly. "But if I give it to you, you'll make sure we stay together, right?"

"Promise," she agreed, putting the blanket away. Ava handed her a compass. "A compass?"

"Our mom kept it. She said it was our dad's."

"Thank you," she pocketed the compass and started for the door.

"Did you find them?"

"Who?"

"Your parents."

 _Depends on who you ask…_ , she thought. "Not yet, but I'm gonna find yours." she answered instead.

_Then…_

Regina waited impatiently as the children went into the house. She wasn't in the mood to watch them in her mirror. She did, however, sit on the ground, planning to clean her dress with magic when they returned. The house lit up suddenly and she sighed. The boy…she should have only sent the girl in.

Never send a boy to do a girl's job.

_Now…_

Henry watched from the stairs as Miss LeFaye talked to his mom about Ava and Nicholas. It was great to see the look on his mom's face when she realized that she had more enemies that were willing to stand up to her.

"Madam Mayor, if I have to personally call Social Services to cancel the appointment, I will. But if Sheriff Swan finds their father and he refuses to take them, I'll take care of them myself," he heard Miss LeFaye say, yet again.

"All right, then. You've beaten me again," Regina hissed, just barely at a volume Henry could hear from his spot. "But don't think you and your sisters can really get that retched woman to break my curse, Nakira."

"Oh, I don't _think_ we'll succeed, _your Majesty_. I _know_ we will. There are more people invested in the breaking of this curse than you'd like to think. Beyond those you know pose a threat to your pathetic excuse for a happy ending." Henry blinked in surprise as Miss LeFaye started to leave. He scrambled up the stairs and to his room before she saw him.

So Miss LeFaye didn't just believe him, she _remembered_? How was that even possible? Did Lacey remember too? Did it have something to do with Emma being in town? Was the curse weakening?

_Then…_

Bored, Regina pulled her hand mirror out and looked into the reflections in the house. Sure enough, the Blind Witch had caught the children and was preparing to roast them. It was clear that the witch was only aware of the boy, as the girl was standing back and the witch only speaking about one of them. She almost laughed as the boy chickened out of his sister's plan, forcing Gretel to take his place.

Unfortunately for them, their plan went bad when Hansel tripped on the stairs and makes a noise. The witch released Gretel, going after the boy. Unfortunately for the witch, Gretel was clearly the smart one. With the witch distracted, Gretel pushed her onto the pan and the pair of twins pushed together to send the witch into her oven.

They locked it and started for the door as the witch cried for mercy. Regina went to her castle in a swirl of smoke and waved a hand over her largest mirror, showing the scene inside the gingerbread house. Once the children were completely outside, she threw a fireball into the oven through the mirror, killing the witch.

"I would have gone gravy," she growled before ordering a guard through another mirror to give the children a ride in her abandoned carriage. It wasn't long before they arrived, and she'd cleaned herself off. "My dear children," she greeted them. "Were you successful in your task?"

"Yes, your majesty," Gretel answered. "But we were almost made into dinner."

"Oh, how barbaric," she replied, signaling the guard to leave. "Now, if I could have my satchel?" she asked, holding a hand out. Gretel handed her the satchel and she grinned. "I've waited for a very long time for this. Let's hope you didn't let me down." She reached into the satchel and pulled out the apple. "Oh, you did it."

"Yeah, we did."

"You've got a strong heart, girl," she said, reaching to touch Gretel's chest. "You remind me of myself at your age."

"We did all that, for an apple?" Hansel quipped.

"Oh, trust me, dear, this is not _just_ an apple. It's a weapon," she explained, moving to put the apple into a chest on her vanity. "A weapon for a particularly devious enemy. Who still is under the delusion that she's safe…"

"Whatever your plan is, we did what you asked. Now you have to keep your promise and find our father."

"Of course, to reunite your family so you can live happily ever after," she sighed, walking back to them. "You were left alone in the woods. You deserve better than a father who'd abandon you."

"He's all we have."

"Perhaps it doesn't have to be."

"What do you mean?"

"You and your brother have impressed me. You aren't the first boy or girl that I've sent into that sticky, sweet house. But you are the first to emerge. As a reward, I've decided to invite the two of you to live here, with me."

"You mean that we get to live in a castle?" Hansel asked eagerly.

"Yes, you would have your own rooms, of course. Personal carriages, valets…all of your dreams could come true."

"No," Gretel said firmly. "We want our father back. He would _never_ abandon us. And even if he _did_ , we would _never_ want to live with someone as _terrible_ as you."

"Is that so?" she asked, barely reigning in her anger.

"Yes. We're going to find him. With, or without your help. And when we do, we're going to prove you wrong."

"We'll see about that," Regina growled, sending them to the deepest part of the eternal forest with magic.

_Now…_

After all was said and done, Henry went to Emma's car with a slice of pie he'd bought for her with his allowance money. He knocked on the window and waited for Emma to unlock the passenger door.

"What's that?" he asked, looking at the file she was looking through.

"Just an old file," she answered, closing the file. "What's up?"

"Pumpkin pie," he handed her the box. Emma smiled a little. "So…how did it go?"

"He picked them up before I got them to Miss LeFaye's house."

"That's great!"

"Yeah."

"So…we had a deal. You said you'd tell me about my dad when you got Ava and Nicholas settled," he said after a moment.

"I did, didn't I?" He nodded eagerly. "Well, I ran away from my last group home when I was seventeen. I'm not gonna lie to you, Henry, I stole a stolen car. This very bug."

"You what?"

"Yeah, I know. I pulled the lock and got in and hijacked it. I was driving down the road when I got pulled over. Then this guy pops out of the back seat and gives this lame excuse to the cops that he was trying to teach me to drive a stick." She smiled a little and Henry paused.

"So…what happened?"

"We lived in here for a while. Then after I went to cash in some stolen watches so he wouldn't get arrested…the cops picked me up. I found out I was pregnant while I was in and…after I gave you up, I got a package with about a hundred grand in it and the keys to the bug with this keychain on them." She tapped the charm hanging from her keys. "He doesn't even know you exist, Henry. And I don't even know where he is."

"Oh…well, thanks for telling me," he said. He didn't know what he'd been hoping for. He already knew she'd had him while she was in jail. Of course, it made sense she'd met his dad while stealing something. At least she'd told him the truth.

"Come on, let's get you home. I'll eat this pie at the apartment," Emma said, cranking the engine. Just then, a motorcycle pulled up. Henry rolled his window down.

"Hi," the man riding the bike greeted, not even taking his helmet off.

"Hi…," Emma replied, looking a little confused.

"Is this Storybrooke?" the man asked.

"Yeah," Henry piped up.

"Any place to get a room around here?"

"Uh, you're staying?" Henry questioned.

"That's the plan. I'm looking for a bed," was the newcomer's answer.

"Granny's Bed and Breakfast. It's just off the road, another two blocks down," Emma sighed.

"Thank you," he said, revving the engine on his bike.

"Hey, I didn't catch your name!" Emma called over the combined noise of the engines.

"That's because I didn't give it," was the answer before the man sped off.

"I thought strangers don't come to Storybrooke," Emma sighed.

"They don't…"


	10. 7:15 A.M.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While preparing for a sudden storm, things in Storybrooke take an interesting turn. Meanwhile, Snow White seeks a solution to her heartbreak with the impending marriage of Prince Charming.

_Now…_

Henry went outside the house, seeing the strange man from the other night working on his bike out front. He had a lot of questions for him, but he'd start with the basics. Hopefully Emma would help with figuring this guy out.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, watching him.

"Fixing my bike," was his reply.

"No," Henry corrected himself. "I mean in Storybrooke."

"Just visiting," the man answered simply.

Before Henry could ask anything else, his mom came out of the house and walked over to them. The stranger got on his bike. Oddly convenient that the guy would leave the moment Regina came out.

"I thought you were just visiting," Henry commented, wondering what he was doing.

"Doesn't mean I don't have something to do."

"Henry?" Regina asked as the stranger started his bike.

"You better get to school," the man noted before driving off.

"Henry, who was that?" his mom asked, turning him to look at her. He simply shrugged. She frowned at him and he headed for his bus stop.

Emma was watching the morning news while she drank her coffee, still worried about that guy that had come to town. It was one thing for _her_ to be there, especially with Henry's teacher having confirmed that no one ever visited Storybrooke. She was there for Henry, because she honestly didn't trust Regina. Her distaste was particularly harsh since the mayor went out of her way to make Henry feel invalid or to where no one would believe him.

Mary Margaret ran out of the bathroom with her toothbrush in her mouth, rushing to the sink. Emma quirked an eyebrow as she watched her (if Henry was right and there _was_ a curse, that would put her roommate as being her mother) curiously. It was barely 7:10, so there should be no reason for her to rush about like that.

"I can't believe I overslept!" she explained herself as she rushed along.

"It's only 7:10. You've got plenty of time to get to school," Emma sighed.

"No, I have to be there at 7:15! Science fair." Emma blinked. Surely Henry would have mentioned a science fair. "I'm helping the kids with their project before school."

"I'm sure if you're five minutes late, they'll live," the blonde muttered.

"We're making a volcano!" Mary Margaret gasped before leaving.

"Okay…like that makes a difference?" She turned off the TV and went down to her car to go to work.

As she drove down the road, she saw David come out of Granny's with coffee for him and his wife. And she saw Mary Margaret sitting at a table inside. She sighed tiredly and parked across the street. She went into Granny's and sat across from Mary Margaret.

" _This_ is making a volcano?" she asked.

"I was—"

"I get it," she interrupted.

"He comes here every morning at 7:15 A.M. to get coffee…," the other tried to rationalize.

"For him and his wife."

"I know, I know, I know…I just like to…come here to see him."

"So you're a stalker?"

"No, not really," she paused as Emma gave her a sharp look. If this was really supposed to be her mom, Emma shouldn't have to remind her how wrong this was. "Maybe a little bit. And it's not like I'm following him. I just know that he spends his mornings with Kathryn, gets coffee, then drives to the animal shelter to start work at 7:30, and then he's home around 5:00…"

"Oh, is that all?" She was tempted to threaten the poor woman with arrest for stalking. But, she could tell that Mary Margaret was just love struck.

"Thursdays they pick up Chinese for dinner." But she couldn't do that. Mary Margaret was obsessed and miserable for it. "I can't get him out of my head…"

"I know. Maybe the first step is not showing up here tomorrow," she offered.

"Love's the worst…I wish there was a magic cure." Emma nodded in agreement. She still sometimes wondered about Neal and what he was up to.

_Then…_

Snow White was about to kill a turkey for her dinner, spear in hand. She readied her spear, about to throw it at her target, but a small noise startled the animal and it flew away. Ready to kill whatever had deprived her of her dinner, Snow whirled with her spear raised. It was only Red.

"Hey! It's me," Red defended herself, holding her hands up.

"Red…," she relaxed a little.

"The spear, Snow," she reminded her.

"Oh…," Snow sighed, lowering her weapon. "Sorry. I wasn't expecting you for a month."

"It's _been_ a month."

"Has it?" she questioned, trying to remember. It didn't feel like it had been a month already.

"You're really taking well to the solitude, aren't ya?"

"It's fine," she sighed. "It's exactly what I wanted, to be out here, away…" But that was a lie.

"And that you are," Red agreed, giving Snow a basket. "Here you go."

"Thank you," she answered. "So…how…how are things back in the world?"

"Come on," the other woman sighed. "Ask what you really want."

"I don't know what you mean," she argued, but Red gave her a sharp look and she sighed. "Okay, fine. Tell me."

"The wedding's happening." Snow's heart dropped at those words. "Prince James is marrying Midas' daughter…in two days' time." She needed to sit or something. "You okay?"

"I just thought…the longer I was out here, the easier it would be to forget him, but…instead…all I _do_ is think about him," she explained, steadying herself on a tree.

"I'm sorry."

"I wish there was a way to get him out of my head," she muttered, prompting Red to give a strange expression. "What? Is there?"

"Of course not. I mean, that would—"

"Red," she interrupted. "What do you know?" Another wrinkle of Red's nose. "Come on, I helped you when no one else would," she really hated using that against her friend, but she was desperate. "What do you know?"

"Well…," Red started with a sigh. "There are whispers…whispers of a man who can achieve even the most unholy of requests, a man who can do what you ask."

"Who is this man?" she asked, hopeful.

That evening, Rumplestiltskin went to the docks to meet with Snow White. He hid in the fog while she looked around for witnesses. He decided the best entrance would be to just weigh down her boat a bit by sitting in it, so he did just that.

"How much for this?" he trilled.

"Excuse me?" Snow White asked, startled. Her reaction was perfect, as she whirled to face him, looking down in shock from the dock.

"Your boat," he explained. "Exquisite craftsmanship."

"It's not for sale," she sighed.

"Of course it is, dearie," he quipped. "No one comes to see _me_ without a _deal_ in mind~."

"So…you're Rumplestiltskin."

"Indeed I am. I've been looking forward to meeting you," he said honestly, stepping back onto the dock. "Ah…," he reached to touch her face to get a better look. "You really _are_ the _fairest of them all_ , aren't you? What can I do for you?"

"I need a cure," she answered.

"What ails you, doll?"

"A broken heart."

"Ah, _the_ most _painful_ of afflictions. Well, I'm afraid if you want me to make him love you, no can do, and nothing can."

"No, that's not the problem," she sighed. "We can't be together."

"Well, _that_ I can help you with~," he trilled, pulling a vial from his pocket. He stooped to fill it with water from the lake and then turned it between his fingers, turning the water a milky white.

"That'll do it?" she asked, reaching for it.

"Not yet," he answered, pulling it back. "No two loves are…exactly alike. We must make this…," he reached and yanked a couple of hairs from her hair, prompting a pained shout from the princess. "Personal~!"

"So if I drink that…I'll no longer love him?"

"The next time you see the object of your grief, you won't even remember _who he is_."

"I won't remember him?"

"Love is _the_ most powerful magic. So the cure must be…" he paused for effect. "Extreme."

" _Extreme_ sounds like an understatement."

"Don't doubt yourself now, dearie. Love makes us sick, haunts our dreams, destroys our days. Love…has killed _more_ than any disease. This cure is a gift."

"What's your price?"

"These'll do," he answered, holding up the hairs.

"What do you need of my hair?"

"What do _you_ need of it now it's been plucked from your head?" he quipped. "Do we have a deal?" he offered her the vial and she took it. "Ohh. I thought so. Drink it in good health…Snow White." He grinned at her shocked expression as he walked away, disappearing into the fog and fiddling with the hairs. Yes…perfect. Now he just needed the other one.

_Now…_

Emma sighed a little as she helped Marco board up some of the windows closest to the coast, where the storm would be coming in the worst. She could see from her ladder that the water was already pretty turbulent. Everyone that owned a boat was trying to pull their vessels in to safety.

"Do you guys usually get no warning? For storms like this, I mean," she questioned down to Marco.

"Sometimes, no. Others, yes," he answered, putting the last nail into his end. Emma finished her side and climbed down.

"How many more are there to do?"

"This is the last one."

"Great. I'm gonna go see if Gold needs any help," she sighed, folding the ladder up and helping Marco get it back to where it belonged. He gave her a quizzical look at her comment about Gold. "With that leg of his, and all the fragile stuff in his shop, I just want to make sure," she explained herself, pulling her cell phone out and sending out a text to Mary Margaret's friends. They replied in the negative to needing help with anything.

"Okay then, just be careful." She nodded a little and headed to her cruiser. She drove to check in on Gold. He seemed to be okay, having hired some people to help board up his shop, but she got out of her cruiser and went into the building to be sure.

"Can I help you, Sheriff Swan?" he asked.

"I was coming by to make sure you were gonna be okay for the storm. There's a lot of fragile stuff in here…"

"The building's sturdy, and we're boarding the windows to be safe," he explained. "Thank you."

"And your house?"

"It's far enough in that I shouldn't have many problems."

"Okay. Then, I'll just make my rounds."

"Thank you for the concern," he paused. "Or were you looking to clear your debt to me?"

"No, I wasn't," she sighed. "I was genuinely concerned for you. You know, with that limp." She left the shop before he could answer, getting into her cruiser and driving down to get some supplies. She was planning on setting up the station as a safe haven for anyone caught in the storm.

As she was loading things into the cruiser after shopping, half listening to the radio. She'd told everyone she could that if anyone was uncomfortable staying in their own homes or didn't make it inside before the storm hit that the station was going to be stocked and safe, being almost solid concrete. Suddenly, the radio clicked off and she looked for the source, hoping it was just the battery dying on her for some reason. It was the mayor. She sighed and stood up.

"If you're looking to blame me for the storm, I think you're taking things a bit far now."

"I need you to look into something, Sheriff," Regina sighed. Emma blinked a little. That was probably the first time that Regina had called her 'sheriff' from the start of a conversation. But then again, she wanted something. "Someone's in town…someone new."

"Yeah, I know," she sighed. "I gave him directions to Granny's the other night."

"You talked to him? Well, what'd he say?"

"He asked for directions. What's the big deal? Who is he?"

"I don't know. I asked around, but no one seems to know anything. There's something about him…something familiar."

"He must be one of the untold millions you cursed," she joked, though she was thinking the same thing. She hadn't seen his face, but his voice had something familiar about it. So familiar, the slice of pie Henry had bought her that evening ended up having a strange taste to it.

"What?"

"Oh, you know, the Curse. Henry's whole thing," she sighed. She was starting to wonder, but she was also very skeptical about it still. The look of relief on Regina's face was a little strange, almost as if the mayor had been worried that Emma was starting to believe Henry's story.

"Sheriff," Regina snapped. "I need you to find out who he is, what he wants, and what he's doing here."

"You know, as hard as you tried to find one in my case," she started. "There's no law against visiting Storybrooke."

"This isn't about the law, Miss Swan. You're gonna do this because I asked you to, and because you'll see it's the right thing to do."

"And why is that?" she asked, shutting the trunk harshly.

"Because he was in front of my house, taking a particular interest in the one thing we both care about…Henry," the mayor explained. And she was right. With that said, Emma was immediately very concerned about the stranger. It was bad enough that she couldn't get Henry out of that abusive situation with Regina, but if someone from the outside posed a threat, she could do something.

"I'll look into him," she promised, going around to get into the cruiser. She texted Mary Margaret before setting out, but got no answer. Maybe her roommate had her hands full. She decided to check for an answer after she finished unloading at the station.

_Then…_

Snow was sitting on a rock, looking at the potion and strongly considering drinking it. If it would help, then that would be wonderful. Before she started to open the vial, a dove landed on her hand. She blinked as she noticed a small scroll attached to the dove's leg. She took the note, prompting the dove to fly away. She opened the scroll and started reading.

_Dearest Snow, I've not heard from you since our meeting, and can only assume you've found the happiness you so desired. But I must let you know, not a day goes by that I have not thought of you. In two days' time, I’m to be married. Come to me before then. Come to me, and show me you feel the same, and we can be together forever. And if you don't, I’ll have my answer._

Tears came to her eyes and she rolled it back up. Smiling, she prepared to go to King George's castle. She put a gold cloak on and filled the basket from Red with golden flowers. She then went as fast as she could to the castle. She found her opportunity and approached a man outside the castle, eyes down with her hood hiding her face properly.

"Flowers for Prince James from the kingdom of Midas," she explained herself.

"Top of the northeast spire. Take the service stairwell, or the guards will toss you over the walls," he snapped, jabbing a finger in the direction she was meant to go. With a smile, she went inside. Once she was good and out of sight, she removed and hid her cloak and basket.

She headed for the service stairwell and went up it quickly, heading to the top of the tower. She pulled out the note from Charming as reassurance but paused. She heard footsteps approach and hurried to hide, almost dropping the note. Prince Charming entered the hall and walked by without noticing her. She started to step out and go after him, but someone grabbed her from behind.

The guards dragged her to the dungeons. She waited until they shoved her into a cell to argue.

"Wait," she snapped before they locked the door. "I'm a _royal emissary_!"

"Sure you are," the guard said sarcastically, holding up the note. He must have grabbed it out of her hand on the way. "The King will decide your fate." He locked her in and left.

With a growl, Snow rattled the bars a little, looking for a weakness. She then tried climbing the wall to look for a space, but she slipped off the rock and fell to the ground. She heard someone whistling and she turned.

"Who's there?" she demanded. A dwarf stepped out of the shadows of the adjoining cell.

"What are you looking at, Sister?" he asked instead of answering. She rolled her eyes and stood. "Tried it all." She examined the lock. "Steel gets stronger as we grow weaker."

"Well…," she muttered, finding a strong piece of straw and using it to try and pick the lock. "I am not…giving up…"

"Give it time," he scoffed. "Grumpy."

"I'm not grumpy," she snapped. "I'm focused.

"No, my name's Grumpy. I'm telling you, there's no way out."

"Well, I'm Snow," she replied. "And I'll find one." The straw broke and she groaned.

"If you say so." She looked for another way, scanning the ground.

"There's someone out there for me, someone I love very much, and I will _not_ lose him."

"Love, huh? Good luck with that."

"Yeah? Well, what do you know about it?" She tested the bars for weakness.

"It's why I'm stuck in this hole."

"Ugh!" she groaned when she couldn't find a good weakness.

"I had it bad…she was beautiful as a fairy, but I lost her. I was desperate to get her back. So I came up with a plan. I worked at the diamond mines. Traded all my wages to the foreman for a diamond to propose. But I got swindled. It was a stolen rock, and I took the blame. I'm no thief, but they think I am. Should've known better. But I wasn't thinking clearly. All 'cause of love. And now, here I am, trapped, with no way out."

"I know a way out," another man said, drawing their attention. It was another dwarf, with a kerchief covering his face. He approached and lowered the kerchief with a grin.

"Stealthy?" Grumpy asked brightly.

"You ready to go home?" Stealthy asked, opening Grumpy's cell with a stolen set of keys.

"How'd you get in here?"

"Doc whipped up a sleeping gas, knocked the guards out cold. The rest are waiting with transport."

"There's more of you?" Snow asked, standing.

"Who's that? She's pretty," Stealthy noted as he looked at her and then at his comrade.

"No one. Come on, let's go!"

"Grumpy," she called. "Good luck. I hope you get your love back." The two exchanged a look, and Stealthy shook his head.

"Son of a…," Grumpy mumbled, taking the keys from Stealthy. "Give me that." He hurried back and unlocked Snow's cell. "Come on."

She grinned and followed them out of the dungeons. As they ran through the tunnels, Snow saw an opening and a flight of stairs. She paused.

"Oh wait, wait," she told the two dwarves. "Stairs."

"No, we sneak out through the courtyard," Stealthy insisted.

"No, it's safer if we climb over the curtain wall," she sighed. "Trust me, hiding from royals is my life."

"But the courtyard is clear now. It won't be for much longer…"

"Sorry, lady," Grumpy sighed, looking between her and Stealthy. "Stealthy got me this far." The pair hurried on.

"Grumpy," she started to stop them. "Grumpy, wait!" she called. She started to go up the stairs, but thought better of it and hurried after them. As she'd expected, there were guards in the yard. She watched as Stealthy made a break for it, but was felled by an arrow. She flinched as Grumpy shouted and stooped by his friend, crying.

"Where is the girl?" she heard King George ask the mourning dwarf.

"What girl?" Grumpy growled, glaring.

"Kill him," the king instructed. Frantically, Snow looked for a way to save him. She saw a torch and grabbed it before coming out into the open as a guard was about to behead Grumpy.

"Looking for me?" she asked loudly, holding her torch over a pile of straw that was close enough to the wooden pillars to cause damage if it caught fire. "Let him go…," she said as all eyes turned to her. She lowered the torch a little. "Or this place will burn," she threatened, holding the flame inches above the straw. King George held her gaze a moment.

"Begone, dwarf," he demanded. Grumpy hesitated.

"Go, Grumpy," she instructed, nodding. He paused another moment and a guard kicked him. He shouted in pain, but stood and ran off.

"Now…Snow White…," George sighed. Snow allowed a guard to take the torch from her as another bound her. "We need to talk."

_Now…_

Emma just finished putting boards up on the station windows when it started raining. She went inside and to the breaker box, flipping the master switch. She then set out some lit candles. She heard the wind howl as the door opened, so she went to investigate. To her surprise, the _mayor_ came into the building, struggling to shut the door against the wind. Emma hurried to help her.

"Madam Mayor, why are you here?" she asked after they got it shut. Emma put her key into the lock and turned it.

"It was raining too hard. I couldn't see to drive home."

"Where's Henry?"

"He _should_ be at home."

"You don't know if your son is at home?!" Emma gasped, running to the phone. "Do me a favour please and write a note to put on the door that anyone else needs to call so we can unlock the door. That wind could yank the door off its hinges."

"Right…," the mayor agreed surprisingly quickly, grabbing a piece of paper and a pen to write the note neatly. Emma called the Mills home.

"Mom?" Henry answered the phone promptly and Emma sighed in relief.

"Henry…you're home."

"Emma? Do you know where my mom is?"

"She's safe. She's at the station, with me," Emma answered, nodding to Regina. The mayor sighed in relief and went to put the note on the door. "Listen to me, Henry, if there's a wireless phone in the house, take it with you and stay in a closet on the first floor until the storm passes. The winds are really picking up, it almost threw the door here off its hinges while your mom was coming in."

"Okay…"

"Unless the phone lines go down, if something happens call the station or my cell. Okay?"

"Right, got it."

"Is he safe?" Regina asked when she got done. Emma nodded a little.

"Henry, do you want to talk to your mom real quick?"

"No, I'm good. So long as you're both okay. Do you know where Mary Margaret is?"

"No, I don't. She hasn't been answering her cell. But the storm's too bad to go look for her."

"Oh…okay. What about Prince Charming?"

"David's probably home with his wife, Henry. Just get in the closet and wait out the storm."

"Okay…," he sighed, hanging up. Emma put the phone down and sat behind her desk.

"Miss Blanchard isn't answering her phone?" Regina asked, pulling up a chair across from her.

"No, and it has me really worried…but I wouldn't be able to search for her in the middle of all this weather…I'm just hoping she's just in a safe spot where she doesn't have signal."

"Well, here's hoping," Regina said, surprisingly genuine. Emma looked at her and quirked a brow. "What?"

"Nothing…," she sighed. "So I guess we have a truce?"

"For Henry's sake." Thunder rumbled overhead and it crossed Emma's mind that in the candlelight, Regina looked amazing. She shook her head to get rid of that line of thinking. Regina saw her as the enemy and Emma only tolerated her for Henry's sake and because going against the _mayor_ with accusations of child abuse would fail very quickly. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah…I'm fine," she answered, shrugging out of her jacket. She stood and went to grab a bottle of water. "You want one?"

"Sure…" she tossed a bottle to Regina. "That tattoo…it's interesting."

"What?" she paused, but realized she was wearing a tank top and her hair had probably shifted to show her tattoo. "Yeah…it was a birthmark and after I served my time, I had a tattoo slapped on it." Abruptly, the mayor stood and crossed to her, pinning her to the wall and kissing her. Emma dropped her bottle of water in shock, but she made no move to stop the other.

Caught in the moment, Emma returned the kiss, casting a glance at the violets on the cabinet. Maybe it had been Regina that sent them? Instead of worrying about that, she put her arms around Regina and deepened the kiss.


	11. The Fruit of the Poisonous Tree

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma catches Regina in secret plans for something out in the woods. Regina dreams of a swan after the arrival of a gullible genie in her husband Leopold's court.

_Now…_

Emma drove her cruiser up to Henry's Castle to meet him the day after the storm. She wasn't entirely sure what had brought on what had happened the previous night in the station, or what it meant. She wasn't even sure how she even felt about it. She sure as hell didn't feel like it had been forced.

She saw Henry ride up on his bicycle and she got out of the cruiser, waving at him. She needed a distraction from her confusion about Regina. And Operation Cobra was probably the best distraction she could think of at the moment.

"Hey, kid," she greeted, but he rode right past her. "Good to see you, too!" she called after him.

"The storm!" he shouted, getting off his bike and running to the damaged playground. Emma sighed and followed him.

"It's okay, we can fix it," she told him. "I'll talk to Marco." She was already planning on offering to help him take down the boards they'd put up to prepare for the storm, she could talk to him about fixing the playground then.

"I think it's still here!" Henry called, digging in the ground.

"What are you looking for?" she asked, stooping to see what he was digging for.

"My book!"

"Why'd you bury it here?"

"So my mom doesn't find it."

"Hiding it under your mattress wasn't good enough?"

"That's the _first place_ the Evil Queen would look," he explained, unearthing a box.

"How about leaving it with me?"

"That's the _second place_ ," he sighed, unlocking the box to make sure the storybook was still in it, which it was. "Good…"

"So your mom doesn't know about the castle?"

"No, this is our secret," he answered, closing the box and reburying it. She almost suggested putting the book in a safer place, like maybe with his teacher, Miss LeFaye, or even Lacey, but she heard a car door open and looked back to see Regina getting out of her car.

 _Here we go…_ , she thought.

"Henry?" Regina called as she approached. "Henry! I've been looking everywhere for you! You know you have a session with Archie this morning." Emma looked at Henry. If he'd just told her about the book being here, she could have looked for it and moved it somewhere safer so he wouldn't miss his session. "Should have known he was with you," Regina snapped at Emma. "Henry, car! _Now_." Henry sighed and went to the car. "You _let him play here_?"

"The storm hit it pretty hard, but we can fix it," she sighed at the usual venom in Regina's voice. Clearly the night before hadn't meant much to Regina.

"Well, can you fix a cracked cranium? Because that's what you'll have on your hands if one of these boards collapses under his weight. You're not thinking about Henry, or his safety, just when he's around me," she accused. "Miss Swan, don't let your feelings cloud your judgment, people can get hurt."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Emma snapped.

"You're the sheriff now, it's time to be responsible," Regina continued.

"Well, if you'd let me speak!" she bit. "I've played _with him_ on this and it was perfectly sturdy. The storm just hit it hard because of the location," she explained before the mayor could say anything else. She then went to the cruiser and got in it, slamming the door. She sent a text to Mary Margaret, asking her to meet her at Granny's. She got an immediate response, which made her relieved.

She then drove to the diner, too angry (and slightly confused) to offer help to Marco. She went into the building and sat at the usual table with Lacey, who was already sitting at their table.

"Why are you so upset, Sheriff?" Lacey commented when she sat down in a huff.

"Why do you think?"

"The mayor?" she guessed.

" _Yes_ ," she answered sourly. "Did you have a safe place to stay during the storm?"

"Yes, all the employees and some of our regulars took refuge inside the Rabbit Hole."

"That's good," she sighed as Mary Margaret came in and joined them. Immediately, Emma explained what had just happened at the Castle. "Don't let _my_ feelings cloud _my_ judgment?" she finished. "That's _all_ Regina ever does!"

"She's just upset because you and Henry have a special place and she…she doesn't," Mary Margaret rationalized.

"How'd she find out about the Castle in the first place?"

"She knows everything about this town, she's the mayor," Lacey sighed, the look on her face saying that there was at least one thing that Regina didn't know about. Mary Margaret's phone went off and she checked it, looking a little distraught after reading the message.

"Everything okay?" they both asked her.

"Yeah, I just need to go," she answered, quickly getting up and getting ready to leave. "Look, if it makes you feel any better, I think you're right. I see the effect she has on Henry," with that, Mary Margaret hurried out.

"I wish everyone else did, too…," Emma muttered.

"There are people that would support you if you tried to press charges against her for abusing him," Lacey sighed.

"There's still too much against me in that case…," she sighed.

"Look, I've gotta get going. Staff meeting," Lacey said, starting to get up. Emma nodded a little and the other left. A moment later, Sidney Glass sat down at the table, clearly drunk.

"I can grant your wish," he slurred.

"Oh, Sidney, you want a side of bacon with that whiskey?" she asked, about to get up. She really wasn't in the mood for him.

"You wanna show this town who the mayor _really_ is? I can help."

"It's gonna be kinda hard to do from inside her pocket."

"The Mayor and I are done," he argued.

"Sure you are," she laughed.

"She got me _fired_ from the paper. She made a _fool_ of me in the election. So, I started working on an expose on the Mayor's Office, and I found something she didn't want found."

"Sidney, you're drunk," Emma sighed, standing. "Go home, sleep it off. Be grateful that you don't have to answer to her anymore."

"Call me," he said, offering her his card. "Storybrooke deserves to know the truth about her." With another sigh, Emma took the card and left the diner, heading to help clean up after the storm.

 _Then_ …

Regina was tending her apple tree in the castle gardens. In the corner of her eye, she saw her husband walking with a stranger. The man with Leopold was exotic, dark skinned, and not unattractive. If she had to guess by the lamp hanging from his belt, he was a genie. Maybe she could use him somehow.

The king spoke with the man as they walked, ultimately introducing Snow White, who paused in picking flowers to curtsy. The genie bowed in return and Leopold motioned towards Regina. She kept her eyes on the tree, waiting to be introduced properly.

"And Regina, my wife, the Queen," Leopold said. She picked an apple from the tree just then, angling herself almost seductively, but not enough to be noticed by her husband or step-daughter. She turned to the genie and smiled a little.

"Hello," she said in a sickly sweet tone. The genie was clearly moved by her, so yes, she most definitely could use him.

_Now…_

Emma ran to the Castle, having got Henry's text. Sure enough, a crew was demolishing the remains of the structure. And she'd _just_ finished talking to Marco about rebuilding it! She ran to Henry's side.

"Hey," she greeted. "What happened? I came as soon as I could." _But obviously too late…_ , she thought bitterly.

"The castle! She's tearing the whole thing down!" he cried, approaching the spot he'd buried the book after the machinery backed away. "My book! I-It's gone!" Emma's jaw clenched and she went to Regina.

"Congratulations, Madam Mayor," she bit. "You destroyed the thing he loves."

"A dangerous thing that can only hurt Henry and others," she defended herself. "You see me as a villain, Miss Swan, but that's just your perception, and you're wrong. Learn your place in this town, or soon enough, you won't be in it." Emma grabbed her wrist as she started to walk away.

"And what is that? Replacing Graham as your sex toy?" she hissed. "Because if that's the case, then—"

"Then what?" the mayor sneered quietly. "You didn't say no or try to stop me." She pulled her wrist out of Emma's grasp and left. Fuming, Emma pulled out Sidney's card and her phone.

"Sidney, hi," she greeted when he answered. "I'm in. I want everyone to know what she really is."

_Then…_

Regina sat at the back of the celebration, watching as her husband put his daughter on a pedestal. Everyone ignored her presence, and she was starting to get aggravated with how that terrible child was constantly treated. Snow White didn't deserve any of the praise she received. Regina stood and slipped out of the party.

She went out to her tree, noticing the Genie following her. She sat on the stone surrounding it. The poor man was just _too_ interested in her.

"Not in a festive mood?" he asked, joining her.

"No one seems to notice my absence," she said honestly.

"I noticed," he argued, looking at the apple tree. "Such a lovely tree."

"Yes, it's from my childhood garden," she explained. "The tree and I share something in common. Neither of us can leave the palace, and neither of us truly belongs. No matter how hard I try to please the King, he will never love me the way he loved his first wife. I'm trapped by the memory of the life they used to share," she said quietly, seducing him with the image of a pathetic woman looking for love.

"I know about being trapped, more than anyone," he said sympathetically. "Maybe this will lift your spirits," he paused, giving her a mirror. "So you…can see yourself the way I see you."

"And how do you see me?" she asked, taking the mirror from him.

"As the fairest in _all_ the lands," he said. She smiled softly at her success.

_Now…_

Emma poured over boxes of documents checked out from the hall of records. Something was missing. From the day of the fire. If they were checked out, then they probably burned during that. But if they didn't exist…then she might have a shot. At this point, though, everything was conjecture.

"When did that transfer go through? Does three weeks ago sound right?" she asked absently.

"Yeah, why?"

"Because those records are missing." She was about ready to give up on the venture, starting to think that Sidney was just being vindictive and a little crazy. At the same time…she'd declared a truce with Regina…and even had sex with her. _If I wanted to call it rape, I should have stopped her, but I think I might have wanted it too_ , she thought. Mary Margaret came into the apartment just then.

"Emma, there's something I'd like to talk to you—" she broke off, noticing Sidney. "Hi, Sidney…"

"Hey, we're just doing some work," she explained. "I think we may have found something on Regina." _But then again, we may not have…_ , she added in her head.

"Interesting work. Oh, I approve."

"You wanna go by the book?" Sidney asked, and she nodded. "Let's get a warrant."

"What judge are we gonna find that she doesn't own?" she asked, rationalizing her feeling that there really wasn't anything going on. "We're screwed."

"Or…there's my way."

"I wanna do this right, Sidney." _For Henry's sake. He thinks I'm some kind of hero…_

"And what's right is exposing her. Sometimes, doing a bad thing for a good reason is okay, right?" he rationalized.

"Yeah," Mary Margaret agreed. "I mean, maybe you're doing something wrong, but if it's what's meant to be, if it's what's right, does that really make you a bad person?"

"Exactly," Sidney agreed.

"Wow, you two are doing a whole lot of rationalizing," Emma sighed.

"But look what she's done to you, to me, to your _son_ , and it's not gonna stop, so whatever you do, you've gotta do _something_ ," Sidney said, catching her on the mention of Henry.

"Okay," she relented. "Let's start by talking to her."

They went out to her car and she drove to City Hall. They went up to Regina's office and Emma approached the desk.

"We're onto you," Sidney said before Emma could start.

"And just what are you accusing me of?" Regina questioned.

"Fifty-thousand dollars was transferred out of the city account, by you," Emma explained.

"Well, as Mayor, I'm involved in many transactions," she answered. "Check the public records if you have questions."

"That's the thing," Emma sighed. "They're missing from three weeks ago. You have any idea what happened to them?" Though she was pretty sure of the answer.

"Well, if they're missing, I probably checked them out, as my job often requires me to do. And if they were checked out three weeks ago, well, that means they burned…in a fire. In a fire that, if I recall, got you elected Sheriff," Regina explained herself, and Emma could tell she was telling the truth. "I have nothing to hide."

"Okay," she relented. "There's nothing for us to do, let's go, Sidney."

"Emma—"

"No," she cut him off. "She's right, we have nothing." She pushed him out to the car.

"That was your plan? I thought you were gonna do something," Sidney bit.

"I did," she sighed. "I planted a bug. You win, Sidney. Let's do whatever it takes," she lied to him. She really _had_ planted a bug, but she wasn't planning on following up, only sating the deranged reporter. She drove him to the station and set up a radio linked to the bug. She then stepped out and called the office.

"Hello?" the mayor answered after the second ring.

"Madam Mayor," she greeted. "Before you say anything, listen a moment. I planted a bug in your office to sate Sidney. I'm only humouring him. I believe you."

"Ah, Miss Andrews," Regina sighed. "I really don't have time for this."

"I'm assuming you're talking in code, so I'll just take it as it comes. Meet me at your manor for lunch. I'll bring some lasagna from Granny's and we can talk properly."

"All right," she answered. "That particular request really needs to be taken to the sheriff, Miss Andrews."

"Then I'll see you at noon." She hung up and went back inside. "Hey, Sidney, you listen to the radio and redirect any calls to my cell. I'm going out on patrol for a bit. Still gotta do my job, you know."

"Okay," he agreed, listening intently to Regina's every word. She rolled her eyes as she went to the cruiser and went to Granny's to get some take out. It was almost noon. She got a text from Regina.

 _What's this about, Miss Swan?_ Was the message. She put the food in the passenger's seat of her cruiser and replied.

_I'll explain over lunch. It's not a good idea for us to talk in public._

She put her phone down and drove down her patrol route. Most of the people in the neighbourhood she parked in were out at work or too busy to notice the cruiser sitting empty at the corner. She just didn't want anyone to know that she'd been to the Mayor's house.

Emma got out of the car and carried the food to the Mills home, waiting in the garage for the mayor to arrive. She pulled in right at noon and they went into the house.

"Miss Swan, I think you owe me an explanation."

"Sidney's obsessed with exposing you over something, and his ploy is embezzlement."

"Outrageous," the woman argued as they went to sit at the dining table with the food.

"So what did you take out that much money for?"

"If you must know…I'll tell you, in exchange for something."

"If you want another round of sex, the answer is—"

"Oh, please, Miss Swan. I'm not stupid."

"Okay, fine," she sighed. "But just this once. Don't think that you can use me the same way you did Graham."

"Of course not, things are different here." Regina's tone told her the truth: the mayor had been the one sending the bouquets of violets.

_Then…_

An elegant swan flew over the castle grounds and perched under the apple tree. Regina, curious, approached the swan. It spread its wings, revealing a few hidden feathers that were darker than the rest, arranged to almost look like the face of a lion. As the queen drew closer to the creature, it opened its beak and the sound that came from it was that of a lion's roar. The swan rose an inch into the air before charging her.

Regina sat upright in her bed, sweat beading on her forehead. _What a strange dream_ , she thought as she got out of bed and moved to clean her face. She stared at herself in her vanity mirror, wondering what the dream meant.

_Now…_

Emma felt horribly guilty, but relieved somehow. She turned in the bed to face Regina. Something about being beside the woman in bed felt right. Almost more right to her than being with Neal had been.

"So…we had a deal."

"The money was for a land transaction with Mr. Gold," Regina sighed. "After I found out about that decrepit old playground you and Henry frequented, I made a decision."

"To take away his secret place? Trust me, I made sure it was perfectly safe after the first time I met with him there. I personally put a few nails and bolts in it to make it safer."

"Oh, I figured, but it's easier to build one in a safer location in case of another storm."

"So…you're buying land to build a new playground away from the danger zone…?" the blonde asked, relieved that that was all it was. Maybe Regina wasn't entirely bad, maybe just misguided in how she handled Henry's issues.

"Yes," was the answer.

"Okay." Both of their phones went off and they got up to check them.

"My lunch hour is over," Regina said.

"And I've got a call," Emma sighed, answering her phone as Regina moved to quietly get dressed. "This is the Sheriff," she said lightly.

"Sheriff," came a familiar voice, the voice of Mr. Gold. "It appears I've been robbed, again."

"That really happens to you a _lot_ ," she sighed, getting up to carefully get dressed. This was the third or fourth time he'd called about a robbery just since she'd been working for the town. "Your house or the shop?"

"The shop," was his answer.

"Okay, I'll be there in a few minutes," she said, hanging up. Regina was already gone and heading to her car. Emma put her shoes on and went downstairs, putting their uneaten food in the trash on her way out.

_Then…_

The next night, Regina had the same dream with the swan. Up until that genie had arrived, the only dreams she had were of taking every shred of happiness from Snow White before killing her. It worried her.

She called to her lady's maids to have a bath drawn for her with chamomile oils to help her relax. When they got it ready, she went to soak in the water, trying to turn her thoughts back on her plan to use the genie to kill her husband.

_Now…_

Emma finished with Mr. Gold's problem rather quickly, as she'd caught the thief on her way to Gold's shop. One of the quickest cases she'd ever faced. Gold decided not to press charges after discussing terms with the culprit, and Emma had gone back to her business. She went back to the station after getting some food from the grocer, eating it in her cruiser. She got another call and had to check it out.

It was several hours before she was able to actually go into the building to check on Sidney. He was still listening to the bug. Regina was talking on the phone with someone.

"Scintillating," Emma commented, entering the office. "Find anything good yet?"

"Yeah," he answered. "Better than good. She made this call a little over an hour ago." He pressed play on a recorder.

"I'll meet you tonight, at Access Road 23," Regina said on the recording. "With the rest of your payment. Yes, it will all be in cash. A-And I don't need to remind that no one can know about this. Yes, I know it has to be tonight." Sidney stopped the tape.

"Who's on the other end?" she asked, though she knew the answer.

"You bugged the office, not the phone," Sidney pointed out.

"Well, we're just gonna have to find out," she said with a shrug.

"Yeah."

"A payoff in the woods…that's promising."

"A payoff using _stolen_ city funds," Sidney added.

"Let's go find out who she's meeting," Emma agreed. _I'll have to stall or something so we miss the meet_ , she thought to herself.

_Then…_

Regina watched from her balcony as her father delivered the chest to the genie according to plan. She was still bothered by her consistent dreams, but she couldn't let that interfere with her plans.

_Now…_

As Emma went to turn onto the access road a good distance behind Regina, Emma's brakes stopped working. Surprised, she tried to stop the cruiser.

"Emma?" Sidney asked.

"It won't stop," she said as the car hit the road sign and skidded onto an embankment, nearly giving her whiplash as it came to a stop.

"Oh…," Sidney groaned.

"You okay?" she asked him.

"Yeah," he answered. "You?"

"Yeah." She got out of the cruiser and inspected the damage. She'd have to get it towed, that was certain. "We're gonna miss that hand-off," she sighed. Though it was a good thing. If they didn't get anything, Sidney could stop bugging her.

"Emma…," Sidney called slowly, shining his flashlight under the car.

"What?" She turned.

"You know that bug you planted? I think Regina found it…someone's been tampering with the brakes. She's onto us."

"Miss Swan?" Mr. Gold called from a ways ahead of them. "Why are you out here, in the middle of the night, with Mr. Glass?"

"You don't know what Regina did to me," Sidney snapped, as if that explained their purpose. "You don't know what she did to her son. We can't just sit idly by." Emma rolled her eyes a little, knowing that Regina wasn't doing anything illegal. She was just being secretive because Henry would paint her as a villain somehow with it.

"Of course you can," Gold argued. "Be careful. Emotional entanglements can lead us down very dangerous paths," he said as he walked away. Emma sighed and called a tow truck. It wasn't long before the truck arrived and took them and the cruiser to the mechanic.

"Sidney, you should go home. We've hit a dead end," Emma told him before she started talking to the mechanics about what happened. She sent a text to Regina.

_Did you have someone cut my brakes?_

_No_ , was the reply she got. _Why?_

 _Because I just had to have the cruiser towed. I was going to stall so we missed the meeting with Mr. Gold, Regina._ She sent her answer.

 _Well, I didn't have anything to do with it_ , the reply left a bad taste in her mouth as she turned her attention back to the mechanics. Maybe Sidney was still working for Regina with plans to make Emma look bad. Or he was doing it on his own to get back in Regina's favour. Either way, it had Sidney's name all over it.

"We'll have it ready by morning, Sheriff," Michael said lightly.

"All right. I'll write out the report and cut you a check in the morning."

"Do you need a ride to get your car from the station?"

"No, it's not that far." She turned and walked to the station. Just as she arrived, the phone rang. She moved to answer it. "Storybrooke Sheriff's Department."

"Sheriff Swan? There's a disturbance at City Hall," an alarm company clerk said lightly.

"Oh, thank you," she hung up and went to her bug. She drove to City Hall and saw that someone had broken the glass on a window. _Sidney_ , she assumed. She pulled out her gun, just in case it wasn't, and went to the door. It was unlocked, but closed, so she opened it quietly and went in.

She headed up to Regina's office, looking through the window. Sure enough, Sidney was trying to hack into the computer at the desk. Regina arrived a moment before she reached to open the door and make the arrest.

"Is it Sidney?" Regina asked quietly. Emma nodded a little.

"I don't know if he was emotional enough to grab a weapon or not…," she said before Regina opened the door. Emma went in first, holding her gun up as Regina switched on the light and disabled the alarm. "Sidney, put your hands up and step away from the computer."

"What are you trying to _do_ , Sidney?" Regina questioned as he followed Emma's demand. Emma moved closer to him and arrested him.

"I was just—"

"Save it, Sidney, you're under arrest. Madam Mayor, if there's anything missing, just let me know."

"Thank you, Sheriff." Emma nodded and took Sidney down to her car, shoving him into the back seat. She drove back to the station and locked him in a cell before turning the cameras on him and heading home. She'd deal with him in full in the morning.

_Then…_

Regina was waiting in her room for the genie to come in. Sure enough, she saw him in her mirror as he was let in by the guards, carrying the box she'd had her father give him. She gave a bright smile and turned to face him.

"It's you," she said, feigning relief as she hugged him. "My love for you grows stronger with every beat of my heart," she lied. "But the king has read my diary. Found my mirror," she forced her voice to crack, false tears flowing. "Soon, he will discover the truth about us. There's no escape."

"There's always an escape," he argued, setting the box on her table. "Your father said what's in this box," he made a gesture towards it as he approached her. "Would give you your freedom."

"Yes, I believe it will…," she said, taking the key from him and crossing to unlock the box. She lifted the lid with a smile. "The Agrabahn Viper. A snake so deadly, it can kill anything."

"With a single bite," the genie agreed. "This serpent is from my homeland. I know all too well of its poison. But why would you have it brought here?"

"There's no happiness left in this life," she lied. "One small bite, and I shall be free from this prison forever. I'm sorry we couldn't be together, my love. Perhaps, in another life, we will find each other again." She reached for the box slowly, so as not to startle the snakes.

"There is another way," the genie said, grasping her hand to stop her. "What if…," he paused a second. "The _king_ didn't live?"

"You would do that, for me?" she questioned.

"For you, I would do anything," he answered and she hugged him, faking relief.

"I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You'll never have to find out," he replied to her, reaching to carefully close the box.

_Now…_

Henry was almost frantically trying to rewrite the book as he sat in Granny's Diner with a cup of milk in front of him. Someone sat beside him.

"What are you working on?" the stranger asked.

"No time to talk," he sighed. "I've got to write it all down, before I forget."

"Yeah, gotta hate when great ideas slip away from you."

"They're not _my_ ideas," he argued. "They're stories from a book I lost."

"Must be a hell of a book. What's it about?"

"Stuff," was his answer as he tried to focus. It occurred to him that he didn't know the man's name. "Hey…what's your name?"

"Neal Cassidy," he answered. "That sounds exciting, 'stuff'."

"You seem awfully interested in me and my book," Henry sighed, looking at him.

"No, I'm just being neighbourly."

"What are you doing in Storybrooke?"

"I'm a writer," he answered.

"You can write anywhere. What are you _really_ doing here?"

"Stuff," he said, leaning close before standing to leave. "Good luck with the stories."

Emma was sitting in her office, watching Sidney. He was sitting in his cell dejectedly.

"Sidney, what did you think you would find?"

"Just what I found. Blueprints. She's building something big out there. Personal use, she's done!"

"Sidney, you broke into her office and illegally obtained that information. It wouldn't stand up in court, and I talked to both her and Gold about it. There's nothing illegal going on," she sighed. "You, on the other hand…the only thing that's gonna save you from these charges…breaking and entering, harassment, tampering with a police vehicle…"

"What?"

"I know you were the one that cut the brakes. Were you trying to make me look bad to get back into her favour? Because it didn't work. An insanity plea is your only option to stay out of prison, and Regina's already filed for a restraining order."

Later, Emma went to the city council meeting and sat at the back of the room. Of course, the meeting went without a hitch, and Emma didn't bring up the subject of the playground. Regina did that herself, talking about it being inspired by an image from one of Henry's books and that it would be finished in the next couple of days. After the meeting, Regina approached her.

"I filed the restraining order and I think he realizes just how serious things are."

"Good. Emma, just for appearances," she lowered her voice. "I'll need you to take some time away from Henry."

"Okay, I'll keep my distance, but don't think I won't be keeping an eye on him."

"Understandable."

"So…what is this?"

"What do you mean?"

"Us," she said simply.

"Like you said, we're nothing. It was a one time thing," Regina answered. Emma nodded a little and left.

A couple of days later, the new playground was finished, and Henry was playing on it. He noticed Emma's bug parked at the edge of the property. He pulled out the radio.

"Why are you so far away?" he asked. "Come over here."

"Sorry, kid, I can't today," she answered.

"You're undercover, aren't you? For Operation Cobra?"

"No, Henry. I'm not undercover. Your mom…she doesn't want us seeing each other for a while."

"You don't have to listen to her," he insisted, surprised.

"Actually, this time, I do. I screwed up, Henry. I got mad at your mom about you and the book and everything and…well we're just going to have to be apart for a little while." He sat down heavily.

"I don't want to be apart…," he murmured.

"Neither do I, but right now, we have to. Don't worry, I'll find a way back in. And hey, if it's out there, Henry, I _will_ find your book."

"Good luck," he sighed. "It's probably gone…and it's probably never coming back." He paused. "Oh, I found out that guy's name. It's Neal Cassidy."

_Then…_

Regina was sitting at her vanity, waiting for the genie to arrive. She knew that the deed was done. The guards had already told her. They'd found the snake. All was set to get rid of that poor, gullible man.

"It's done," the genie said, entering the room. "You're free, my love. We are free to be together," he added, approaching her. She kept her attention on her mirror, preparing for her act. "D-Did you not hear me? Our days of imprisonment are over."

"You haven't heard the news?" she asked sadly. "The palace guards found the snake. They know it's from your country. They know it's you who killed the king. It's only a matter of time before they catch you. You will be executed. I'm sorry, but we will never be together," she said, standing. "Come," she offered, stepping towards her table. "I've arranged for a boat to provide you safe passage out of the kingdom. You must leave at once."

"The Agrabahn Viper…," he realized. "Of all the snakes in all of the world, that is what you chose. You _wanted_ the murder to be traced back to me. You fooled me. You never loved me."

" _Loved_ you? I wanted the king killed and you killed him," she sneered. "You are no longer of any use to me. Be _grateful_ I'm offering you an escape. Now, flee the kingdom and never turn back."

"I can't live without you," he murmured, shaking his head. "I _won't_ live without you.

"Did you not understand me? I don't love you. There's no way we'll _ever_ be together," she snapped, turning to him.

"There is _one_ way…," he said, pulling his lamp out. "There is still one wish remaining…I wish to be with you forever, to look upon your face always. To never leave your side," he said gravely. Smoke surrounded him and the lamp fell to the ground as he vanished. Surprised, Regina looked around. She heard a tapping sound and looked to her vanity mirror. The genie was within it. She laughed a little.

"Looks like you've got your wish," she sneered. "You _will_ be with me, forever." And she could use him at every turn and he would have no choice. That was his own mistake, but in the end, she supposed he _could_ still be of use.

_Now…_

Emma sighed a little as she sat in her office at the station, watching Sidney mope in his cell. Things just got complicated. If it was _Neal_ , then things were going to end up going south. Especially since she had a feeling that there was something deep coming on when it came to whatever her relationship with Regina was turning into.

She turned around in her chair and looked at the vase of violets. Regina had sent them, probably knowing perfectly well what they meant.


	12. Skin Deep

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lacey hosts a girls' night at the Rabbit Hole on Valentine's day, while Mr. Gold deals with being robbed. Back in Avonlea, Belle's plan to leave her father's abusive home comes to fruition.

_Then…_

Belle shifted uncomfortably in her seat, not enough for anyone to notice, but just enough to readjust her corset. The bruises on her stomach were nearly healed, but the boning on her corset would press against them in just the right way. She focused her attention on the book in her hands, ignoring the prattle going on around her.

She knew the situation with the ogres all too well. And it was her ticket out of that abusive life. She was starting to become concerned, the Dark One was late. If she had to, she'd leave and find him herself, but she hoped it wouldn't come to that. To everyone else, Sir Maurice was a loving man and Gaston was just as chivalrous as any knight. But when it came to Belle…they were different.

"We have to do something," Gaston snapped. "We have to stop them."

"He could be on his way right now, Papa," Belle sighed, shutting her book. She was sick and tired of waiting. She decided then that if the Dark One wouldn't come to strike a deal, she'd go to him.

"It's too late, my girl…," Maurice said in despair. "It's just…too late." Frustrated with this, Belle stood and made plans to go change clothes and look for the Dark One herself.

Rumplestiltskin was already in the room, hiding behind a curtain, giddily waiting for the best moment to make his entrance. That girl caught his eye. Why would even a nobleman's daughter be so formally dressed for a war council? But she was pretty, maybe he could find a way to use her.

He saw her start for the door and wondered what she was doing, but then it struck him. _She_ was the mastermind? If that was the case, then she'd purposefully gussied up for him. Too bad he wasn't a mind reader. He waved a hand, making invisible hands bang on the barred door.

"That's him!" the girl said brightly. "That has to be him."

Unlike the rest, who approached the door, she turned and moved to the back of the gathering, whether putting herself out of immediate sight from the door or with some other purpose, the Dark One couldn't tell. While their backs were turned, he quietly walked over to the throne and perched in it. He noticed the girl shift her corsets manually, a small amount of pain in her expression.

"How could he get past the walls?" Maurice asked sharply. Rumplestiltskin almost laughed giddily at the man's ignorance. Everyone knew that he could come and go as he pleased, wherever he wanted. "Open it!" The guards unbarred the door and swung the doors open to reveal the empty hall.

"Well, that was a bit of a letdown!" he said brightly when no one reacted in surprise. "You sent me a message? Something about…'Help! Help! We're dying. Can you help us?'" he spoke in a mocking voice, prompting one of the fools to point his sword at him.

A little offended by the gesture, he stood. "Well, the answer is…," he said as he swatted the sword away. "Yes, I can. Yes, I can protect your little town…for a price~."

"We sent you a promise of gold," Maurice answered sharply, prompting the imp to trill a little. This man was so ignorant it was outrageously amusing to him. In the corner of his eye, he saw the girl watching him with a look of near desperation. He wondered fleetingly if she was abused by her male companions.

"Ah…," he laughed. "Now, you see…I _make_ gold. What I want is something a bit more special." He thought of his price in an instant. "My price…is her." He pointed at her.

"No," Maurice answered immediately, an almost possessive look in his face.

"The young lady is engaged…," the foolish knight snapped, shielding the girl with an arm. "To me." The look on his face was almost like a puppy protecting its favorite toy.

The reactions of the two men told him just enough. Yes, the girl was the one that had orchestrated this meeting. And yes, her father and fiancé were abusive and probably controlling.

"I wasn't asking if she was engaged," he said, getting impatient with these fools. "I'm not looking for _love_!" He made a gesture with his hands. "I'm looking for a caretaker…for my rather large estate. It's her, or no deal."

"Get out," Maurice demanded, pointing to the door as the other man pulled the girl backwards. Rumplestiltskin could see that his hands were leaving impressions in her skin, but she didn't flinch, clearly used to touches like that. "Leave!"

"As you wish," he said, giving an extravagant bow. He could tell how things would progress, so he simply walked towards the exit rather than using magic to leave in an instant.

What he didn't expect, was the abrupt change in atmosphere. It was almost as though he'd set off a fairy, but almost more violent. He almost spared a glance back to find the source, when the girl spoke up.

"No, wait!" she cried out, jerking away from her fiancé. The Dark One stopped and turned to look at her. There was a fire in her blue eyes that hadn't been there moments before. She walked with purpose towards him and the crowd parted, almost forced back by the terribly violently aura she was putting off. "I will go with him."

"I forbid it, Belle!" her fiancé shouted, reaching to stop her.

" _No one_ decides my fate, but _me_ ," she snapped, glaring at him.

"It's forever, dearie," Rumplestiltskin trilled, intrigued by her fire.

"My friends, my family…they will all live?" she asked, though her tone said that she was only putting on a show.

"You have my word." He gave an elaborate bow.

"Then you have mine. I will go with you. Forever."

"Deal~!"

"Belle…Belle…you cannot—" Maurice broke off at a sharp glare from his daughter. No other words were said as Belle stepped closer to him and he escorted her out, not even noticing the small book that she was still holding in her hands.

_Now…_

"Well…this is just perfect," Mr. Gold sneered as he approached the Game of Thorns flower shop. "I've been looking for you, Mr. French."

"I'll have your money next week," Moe practically pleaded. This man was one that Gold despised even more than the 'nuns'. Or that ever interfering trio of gypsies.

"The terms of the loan were fairly specific," he said sharply, thoroughly enjoying the other man's despair as Gold waved to a pair that he'd hired to help with this. "Take the van."

"Wait!" Moe tried to stop the larger men. "No! Tomorrow's Valentine's Day! It's the biggest day of—I've got a grand in roses in the back!" The engine revved and Gold turned, a gleeful grin on his face at the desperate pleas. "Stop! You've got to let me sell them!"

"I'll let you all continue this conversation," he barely kept a light trill out of his tone as he walked away. He could hear Moe French spouting curses after him, and the more the man shouted and complained, the more joy he got from the situation.

"Mr. Gold," the mayor greeted him as their paths crossed. Instantly, his good mood drained. "That was quite a show back there."

"Well, Mr. French is having a bad day," he explained lightly. "Happens to the best of us."

"I've been meaning to talk to you about something—" he held a hand up to cut her off.

"Yeah? And the moment you have something _I_ want to discuss, we'll have that chat," he snapped, starting to walk past her. She blocked his path. She was going to make him say _please_.

"No," she insisted. "We're going to do this now. It'll only take a moment."

"Is there something eating you, dear?" he asked sharply. "Something you need to get out in the open?" his tone almost had the old trill to it. "'Cause it's gonna have to wait, _please_." He tacked on that one word, calming himself. The magic of the curse forced her to relent with that word, and he walked past her.

Lacey was helping Katherine work on a sculpture for the big Valentine's special at the Rabbit Hole. They each got a text message and they paused in their work.

 _Hey, want to join me and Ruby and Ashley for a girls' night?_ Was the text from Mary Margaret. Lacey replied with an affirmative, asking where to meet. The reply was The Rabbit Hole, and she couldn't help but laugh at the irony of going on an outing to her workplace on her day off. When they'd put their phones down, the pair of friends got back to work on the sculpture.

Gold walked up to his porch, pulling out his key. To his surprise, the door was open. He pulled out a concealed handgun and slowly entered, glancing around to make sure the intruder was gone. He noticed several things, and one particular cup, missing. He heard a noise from the door and whirled, raising his gun. Fortunately, it was only the sheriff.

"Sheriff Swan," he sighed, almost relieved, as he lowered his gun.

"Your neighbors saw your front door open and called it in," she explained as she put her own gun away.

"It appears I've been robbed."

"Funny how that keeps happening to you."

"Yeah," he said wryly. "Well, I'm a difficult man to love."

_Then…_

Rumplestiltskin was glad that he hadn't conjured a contract for the girl. She seemed the rare type that would have actually _read_ the stupid thing before signing. And by reading it, she would have made changes. She just seemed that sort. He led her down to the dungeons.

"Where…," she started. "Where are you taking me?"

"Let's call it…," he trilled, opening a door with a wave of his hand. "Your room."

"My room?" she questioned, looking into the dungeon cell.

"Well," he laughed. "It sounds a lot nicer than _dungeon_." He started to push her in, but she did the unexpected and whirled on him.

"I did _not_ just agree to a deal with you to 'save my people' to get thrown into a dungeon!" she snapped, the fire returning to her eyes. He quirked an eyebrow at her intonation on the terms of their deal. "You usually make people sign a contract. Where's mine?"

Damn, she was smart. He sighed and conjured one up, putting no thought into the contents of it. She snatched it from him and began reading it intently. As he'd suspected. She held out her hand and he stared blankly at it.

"What?"

"A quill? These terms are abusive and I'm not escaping _one_ abusive castle just to go to another!" she bit. He blinked and conjured the quill, handing it to her. He watched as she put the parchment against the wall and scratched out several lines on the list of details. After several minutes of scratching and neat scribbling, she signed it and handed it back to him.

The imp looked it over in shock, dumbfounded about both her words and what she'd added and taken out. Not knowing entirely what he'd even _put_ there in the first place, he scanned it quickly. He almost laughed at some of the absurdities that had appeared and subsequently been scratched out. In fact, it was only the most absurd of the terms that she'd crossed out, beyond her living arrangements.

 _Tend the garden_. Was one of the things she'd added. It made him lift an eyebrow and glance at her. _Further, living arrangements will be provided in semi-comfort, a personal bathing room provided._ Reasonable enough. He nodded a little.

"All right then, Dearie," he trilled, waving the contract into his library of contracts. "Have a look around while I prepare your _new_ room."

"Oh, I forgot to add this, but I only have the one dress. Since we left immediately. I'll need materials to make something better suited to working," she said lightly before flouncing off. The Dark One muttered under his breath and went to find a room to dress up for her.

Belle practically bounced as she walked through the halls, exploring the castle as best as she could. Finally, she was free. Well, as free as she could be. She'd find some way after a while to get him to send her away; maybe she'd seduce him into it. She decided to think on that later. For now, she was just glad to be out of her father's house.

The next day, Belle was serving tea as the Dark One sat in his big chair at the end of the table. He was blathering on about what he wanted her to get done daily, most of which she'd understood from reading through that contract.

"Oh, and you will skin the children I hunt for their pelts," he quipped, trying to get a rise out of her. That was the first thing she'd registered from his babbling. And perfectly timed with her bending to pick up a cup, the full cup of tea dropped from her hands (She hadn't known he did things like that) and spilled on her skirts, falling to the ground. "That was a quip. Not serious."

She shot a glare at him for a split second as she stooped to pick up the cup. A small chip was in the rim and sudden dread filled her. If she'd so much as stepped wrong at home, she'd be struck, and with the original contents of the contract, there was no telling what Rumplestiltskin would do over a broken cup.

"Right…," she muttered before showing the cup. "I'm so sorry, but, uh…it…it's chipped. You—you can hardly see it." She offered, dread filling her again.

"It's just a cup," he said flippantly and she sighed in relief, moving to pour him another cup.

_Now…_

Gold was getting exasperated. He knew what was taken and he knew who did it. The one person that had most recently defaulted on a loan: Moe French. He wasn't concerned about the majority of what had been taken, it was just the one particular piece of china that mattered.

"Sheriff Swan, you can go now," he sighed. "I know exactly what was taken and who did it. I've got it from here."

"No, you don't," the blonde replied sharply. "This was a robbery, public menace, and if you don't tell me what you know, I'll have to arrest _you_ for obstruction of justice." Well she certainly took her job to heart. "I have a feeling you don't want to be behind bars."

"Indeed not," he replied. "All right, his name's Moe French. He sells flowers, and he recently defaulted on a loan. A short time ago, we had a little disagreement over collateral."

"Okay, I'll go get him," the sheriff sighed. "Check him out."

"I'm sure you will, assuming I don't find him," he chuckled a little, looking forward to taking things out on him. "Let's just say, bad things tend to happen to bad people."

"Is that a threat?" Emma asked.

"Observation," he corrected. "Good luck." The sheriff left and he started making plans.

_Then…_

Belle was on a ladder, tugging at a curtain. She'd been there almost five months. A lot had happened in that time. It was so dark all the time, she felt the need to brighten the place up, but the curtains were practically nailed down. And with Rumplestilstkin barely a few feet away from her, she couldn't use magic to help with the task as she did everything else.

"Why do you spin so much?" she asked offhandedly, causing him to stop in his spinning. "Sorry, it's just…you've spun straw into more gold than you could ever spend."

"I like to watch the wheel," he answered, picking up where he'd left off, watching the wheel intently. "Helps me forget."

"Forget what?" She rested her arms on a step of the ladder.

"I guess it worked," he trilled, giggling. She laughed a little at his answer. Surprisingly, she was enjoying her stay in his castle much more than she'd thought that she would at first. "What _are_ you doing?" he asked, getting up and crossing to her. She paused, but went back to what she'd been doing.

"Opening these," she explained, giving a sharp tug on the fabric. "It's almost spring, we should let some light in." She gave another tug. "What did you do? Nail them down?"

"Yes," he answered simply. She rolled her eyes and leaned out a little, gripping the curtain. She gave a tug just hard enough to knock the ladder over and cause her to fall. Her weight and the sudden pressure ripped the curtains from the wall.

He caught her easily as light flooded the room. She paused, looking into his eyes for a moment. Such a lonely soul, much different from any other moment she'd looked at him. She supposed it was something she'd inherited from her mother, the ability to discern a lonely or unhappy soul.

"Um…thank you," she murmured as he awkwardly put her down. "Thank you," she repeated as she straightened her dress.

"It's no matter," he said flippantly. She moved to pick the ladder back up.

"I'll, uh, put the curtains back up," she said as she stood it up.

"Uh, there's no need," the imp said, waving a hand. "I'll get used to it." He went back to his spinning wheel, bringing a soft smile to Belle's face.

_Now…_

Lacey sighed a little as she sat in her apartment, turning the resin encased rose in her hands. It made her want to go to him and see if he'd finally admitted his cowardice. But that wasn't in her plan. She had to wait until the curse was broken to go to him.

'Belle' knew who Mr. Gold was, but 'Lacey' wouldn't have. That was part of the curse. Everyone that had slighted Regina had no shot at happiness. Even if the slights were imagined or circumstantial. Lacey had fallen in love with a man whom Regina despised.

She sighed again and went down to her father's flower shop. The van was nowhere to be seen. That was a surprise. She went inside the building, to find that no one was there. Concerned, she stepped further in.

"Father?" she called. She got no answer, and wished she had some sort of weapon on her, as she was starting to get a bad feeling.

She honestly wished that she had full access to magic. Instead, she opted to pick up a bar and brandished it with one hand like a sword. Her other hand went to her pocket to grasp her phone. She heard a noise in the attached house and she lifted her weapon. "Hello?"

She rounded a corner into the home, pulling her phone out to call Emma, pulling the blonde's number up with a single button. She brandished the bar a little higher as she saw movement. As she stepped closer, the other came into view better, and Lacey recognized Emma. She sighed in relief and lowered the bar.

"Lacey…," Emma sighed. "You startled me. What are you doing here?"

"I was coming to get some flowers for the bar, and say hello to my father. The house is attached to the shop," she explained, putting her phone away.

"Who were you gonna call?"

"You. You _are_ the sheriff, if someone was trying to burglarize my father…," she shrugged. "We're not on good terms, but that doesn't change that I worry about him."

"So you didn't know about his issues with Mr. Gold?"

"What did he do?" she asked. "Default on another loan?"

"That…and he robbed him in retaliation."

Lacey sighed heavily. That sounded like something her father would do, cursed or not. "Is there bad blood between Gold and your father, Lacey?" Emma asked abruptly.

"Yes, but I'm not sure why," she gave a half truth. She knew that the issue went all the way back to before the curse was cast. When Regina had captured her, the woman had probably told him some lie to make him believe she was dead. And she knew if she'd gone back to her father, he would have beaten her to death.

"Okay then," the blonde sighed. "Well, I need to get back to getting these stolen items."

"I'll help," she offered.

"Thanks…too bad I don't have a deputy to help with this…," the sheriff said, half joking.

"I'd offer to take the job, but I'm the only evening shift bar tender."

_Then…_

Rumplestiltskin was long used to her presence. Nearly a year and a half had passed since they'd struck the deal. The castle was nearly spotless from highest tower to deepest dungeon. He wondered offhandedly how she'd managed it, while keeping the grounds in total order.

The lawn was clean but had a level of flair that told unsuspecting intruders that this was, in fact, the Dark One's castle, but yet the gardens that weren't visible from the exterior were in beautiful order. He wasn't sure how she'd gotten hold of many of the plants that were in the gardens that she'd planted, and he also wasn't sure how she kept the poisonous ones from cross pollinating the rest. It wasn't his field of expertise, so he left it be. It came in handy when he needed some herbs, so that was another benefit (and he didn't have to deal with the upkeep of it all).

All in all, she was a rather pleasant person to keep him company. If he was willing to admit it, he sort of liked her. There was always an air of mystery around her, as though she was hiding something from him. But given his first impression of her when the girl was enraged, he'd rather not press matters. It was likely that she was some part fairy and was studying magic behind his back.

If he caught her in the act of using magic, he'd ask about it. But, he hadn't caught her doing that, so she was clearly very careful and possibly cleverer than he was.

"Why _did_ you want me here?" Belle asked him as he moved to sit at his spinning wheel one day.

"The place was filthy," he quipped, methodically setting up his straw.

"I think you were lonely," she said in response. "I mean, any man would be lonely."

"I'm not a man," he replied softly. _Not anymore_.

"So, I've had so long to look around, you know," she continued as though he hadn't said anything. "And upstairs, there's clothing. It's small, as if for a child? Your son…did he ever live here with you?" she asked, looking at him. She knew well that that subject was sensitive for him.

"No, I lost him before that, as I did his mother," he said sadly.

"I see…," she paused. "Well, you _were_ a man, once. An ordinary man." he nodded a little, giving her a quizzical look. Why was she asking all these questions suddenly? "You know, I've been here for almost two years, yet I hardly know you. If I'm never going to know another soul in my whole life, can't I at least know you?"

"Perhaps…," he stood from his spinning and crossed to her. "But, perhaps you just want to learn the monster's weaknesses~!" he trilled.

"You're not a monster," she said, to his surprise. "You think you're uglier than you are, that's why you cover all the mirrors up, isn't it?" her guess told him that she either didn't know much about magic, or she wanted him to think that she was ignorant. Mirrors were a good way to spy on people, and he had several enemies with magic that would do just that.

A banging on the front entrance startled them both. The Dark One gave a heavy sigh and went to see who it was. He could feel her eyes on him and heard a light clatter as her shoes fell from her feet. When he was sure she wasn't looking, he glanced behind to see her removing her shoes and padding quietly behind, hiding when he looked back.

She was following to see what was to happen? He continued to the door, thinking that she was most certainly an interesting person to have around. He waved the door open to reveal her former fiancé on the porch, brandishing his sword. Like that would do any good.

"I am Sir Gaston, and you, beast, have taken—" he fell silent as Rumplestiltskin waved a hand, transforming the man into an equally harmless rose. He stooped to pick it up with a small trill, wondering why the fool had waited more than a year to come 'rescue the damsel'.

He waved the door shut and started back to the dining hall where they'd been talking before. By the time he made it back to the space, Belle was already back where she'd been standing before, her shoes neatly on her feet. Her hands were neatly folded on her skirt, as though she'd been patiently waiting for him to return. That was a surprise.

"Who was that?" she asked lightly. He wondered how she'd gotten back to the dining room so quickly.

"Just an old woman selling flowers," he answered just as lightly, extending the rose to her. "Here. If you'll have it."

"Why, thank you," she replied, crossing to him. She gave a curtsy and he bowed as she took the rose from him. Her behaviour made him wonder again, why she'd truly agreed to the deal.

"You had a life, Belle," he murmured as she crossed to fetch a pair of scissors to trim the rose. "Before…this—friends…family…what made you choose to come here with me?"

"Heroism," was her plain answer. "Sacrifice. You know, there aren't a lot of opportunities in this land for women to show what they can do. To see the world, to be heroes. So, when you arrived, that was my chance. I always wanted to be brave. I figured, do the brave thing, and bravery would follow."

He could tell she was mostly lying, but he left it be. If he was right, and both her father and fiancé had been abusing her, she wouldn't want to talk about it anyways. She would be particularly cross about the subject if he was also right about his assumptions that _she_ was the one that organized the deal in the first place. If she was, it was only a matter of time before she found some way to make him send her away so she could do her travelling.

"And is it everything you hoped?" he asked, perching on the table. She put the rose in a vase and set it down before joining him, pulling herself up beside him, pressing her breasts out just so.

"Well, uh…," she started. "I _did_ want to see the world. That part didn't really work out. But, uh…I _did_ save my home.

"And what about your, uh…betrothed?" he asked, watching her expression. Her face didn't falter.

"It was an arranged marriage," she answered sharply. "Honestly, I never cared much for Gaston. To me, love is…love is layered, a mystery to be uncovered. I could never truly give my heart to someone as superficial as he. My father just couldn't wait to pass me off to someone else."

Her tone told the imp a different story, and he honestly felt a little sorry for her and glad that he'd decided to take her as his price. He paused, making a decision. If she really had only planned for this to be a minor part of her goal to see the world, then she wouldn't come back, but if she had simply innocently agreed to the chance to get out of her father's house, she would.

"You promised a while back that if the subject of your son came up again that you would tell me about him," she recalled abruptly. Damn that girl had a good memory.

"I'll tell you what…," he stalled. "I'll make you a deal. Go to town, and fetch me some straw. When you return, I'll share my tale." She looked at him, shocked.

"But…town?" she asked, watching him. "You trust me to come back?" He stood up and went to grab a basket for her, turning so she couldn't see his face.

"Oh, no," he said softly, surprised to note that he felt almost sad at the prospect of her leaving. "I expect I'll never see you again."

_Now…_

Lacey was sitting with the other girls, if it weren't for the curse, she'd feel very uncomfortable in this position, sitting with 'Cinderella', 'the Snow Queen', 'Snow White', and 'Red Riding Hood'. But it was a good distraction from her temptations concerning Gold. Ashley was drinking faster than any of them, and Lacey would have protested her having anything alcoholic if she hadn't confirmed that the blonde wasn't breast feeding.

"Pace yourself, Ashley," Mary Margaret laughed.

"I am!" the blonde argued (though she clearly was _not_ pacing herself). "This is my first night out since I've had the baby; I'm making up for lost time." She took another shot.

"Ooh," Ruby started. "Ash, check out those guys."

"Oh, honey, I'm still with Sean," she defended herself.

"You're not married," was Ruby's simple reply. "And he's not here."

"He's working."

"He's _always_ working," Ruby reminded her as she stood. "Have fun moping~!" She picked up her drink and strutted over to the group of guys.

"She's right," Ashley said dejectedly. "He _is_ always working. I thought love would be different."

"Me, too," Mary Margaret agreed, sipping at her drink. Lacey and Katherine exchanged glances, but remained silent, unsure how to comfort their friend. A text from Emma had Lacey excusing herself.

 _I can't find your dad anywhere in town, I think Gold might have grabbed him_ , was the text. Lacey knew exactly where Gold would take him, so she sent the sheriff a reply.

 _I know where he'll take him, if that's the case. I'll meet you there_ , she typed quickly before giving Emma the coordinates of a cabin she figured Gold might take him. After receiving confirmation, Lacey went to her Mustang and drove to a different cabin, the one she _knew_ would be the venue for her father's beating.

Mr. Gold went into the drug store to get a few things, namely tape and rope. David Nolan got in line behind him and he noticed two Valentine cards in the man's hand. He assumed that things still hadn't been settled between him and the two women.

"Two Valentines," he noted. "Sounds like a complicated life."

"Oh, no, I-I just couldn't decide," David lied poorly.

"So these are both for the same woman?" he pressed.

"Well," the other started. "They're both so…us."

"I see," Gold decided to drop it as he was about to be checked out. "Well, you're fortunate that you have someone that loves you." _Still alive_ , he added mentally.

"I really am, I guess."

"Love, it's like a delicate flame. And once it's gone, it's gone forever," Gold murmured. "Best of luck to you."

He paid for his purchases and went to the van parked out front. He opened the back doors and sneered at the man he'd hastily tied and gagged in the back. Sure no one was looking, he climbed in to rectify the sloppy job before getting behind the wheel and driving out to a cabin in the woods, where he parked and pulled his gun out to force Moe French to walk into the cabin.

_Then…_

Belle was happy for the fresh air, though she spent many days that Rumplestiltskin was out making deals sneaking into town. It was nice to have him _know_ she was gone and have actually given her the permission. She heard a carriage approaching from behind and she paused to look over her shoulder. It was the Queen.

"Did my carriage splash you?" the woman asked as her carriage came to a stop.

"Oh," she murmured, looking down. "Oh, no, I'm fine."

"You know, I'm tired of riding," the queen decided, getting out of her carriage. "Let me stretch my legs and walk with you for a spell." She gave Belle no choice as they walked towards the town. "You carry very little," the queen noted as they walked with the carriage following behind.

"I don't want to be slowed down," she answered simply.

"Mm. You're running from someone," the other guessed with a laugh. "The question is, master or lover?" After a sharp glance from Belle, she quirked an eyebrow. "Oh, master _and_ lover."

"I might take a rest," Belle sighed, not interested in having this conversation. "You—you go on ahead."

"So, if I'm right, you love your employer, but you're leaving him?"

"I might love him," she admitted, as she'd long admitted to herself that she hadn't actively found a way to force him to send her away yet because she had some feelings for him. "I _could_ , except…something evil has taken root in him," she explained vaguely. Given the queen's magic, it wasn't unlikely that Regina knew exactly who Belle was 'employed' by.

"Sounds like a curse to me, and all curses can be broken. A kiss born of true love would do it." Belle stopped in her tracks, thinking on it. Her reaction earned a light laugh from the queen. "Oh, child, no. I would never suggest a young woman to kiss a man who held her captive. What kind of message is that?"

"Right," she murmured in response. That coming from the woman that stole people's hearts for pleasure.

"Besides, if he loves you, he would've let you go," the queen continued. "And if he doesn't love you, well then, the kiss won't even—"

"Well," Belle interrupted. "He _did_ let me go."

"Yes, but no kiss happened."

"And a kiss—a kiss is enough? He'd be a man again?"

"An ordinary man. True Love's Kiss will break any curse." With that, the queen went back to her carriage and Belle continued on to town, contemplating things. Was it possible that he loved her and that was why he'd allowed her to leave?

Rumplestiltskin was working in his tower when he sensed something: the all too pleasant aura of a fairy. It wasn't inside the castle, but on the grounds. Surprised, he peered out the window. It was Belle, coming back with her basket full of straw.

Shocked, he completely forgot that he could go in a puff of smoke, and ran as fast as he could down the stairs and back to his wheel, where he sat and pretended that he'd been there the whole time. The doors opened for her and he looked up.

"Oh, you're back already. Good," he said slowly. "Good thing. I'm, uh…I'm nearly out of straw."

"Hm…," she hummed a little, crossing to the wheel to put her basket down. "Come on, you're happy that I'm back," she commented as she perched on the bench beside him, again pressing her breasts out.

"I'm not…unhappy," he answered. He was actually ecstatic, but loath to admit it. Admitting that he was happy that she'd returned would be the same as admitting that he'd fallen in love with her.

"And uh, you promised me a story," she said, leaning towards him.

"Did I?" he almost squeaked. She nodded a little, gently pulling the thread from his hand.

"Tell me about your son. We had a deal."

"Uh…" he hesitated. "I lost him. There's nothing more to tell, really."

"And since then, you've loved no one, and no one has loved you," she said plainly. He closed the distance.

"Why did you come back?" he asked, almost hopeful.

"I wasn't going to," she sighed. He could smell her breath, sweet and tempting. "But then…something changed my mind," her voice was almost a whisper as she pressed her lips to his. He almost caved, but pulled away in less than a moment.

"Oh," he murmured, feeling something strange. Confused, he closed his eyes. "What's happening?"

"Kiss me again, it's working," she said, touching his lapel. What?

"What is?" he asked, his voice unusual. It struck him; her kiss had started to reverse the magic that made him the Dark One. His voice was the voice he'd had before. It had been so long that he'd almost forgotten what he used to sound like.

"Well…any curse can be broken," she said softly. His eyes snapped open and he shoved her away, enraged. He barely registered the pained shout as she tumbled to the floor.

"Who told you that?!" he shouted, standing up and glaring down at her. "Who knows that?!"

"I-I-I-I don't know!" she stammered, a shocking look of fear on her expression. He was too angry to care. "She, uh…she—she—" she broke off, unable to form coherent sentences.

"She," he growled, crossing to a mirror. He uncovered it, knowing that Regina would be watching eagerly. "You…evil…soul. This was you! You turned her against me! You think you can make me weak?! You think you can defeat me?!" he shouted angry accusations at the mirror.

"Who are you talking to?" Belle asked quietly, getting up.

"The _Queen_!" he snapped, whirling on her. "Your friend, the Queen! How did she get to you?!"

"The-The Queen? I don't—"

"I knew this was a trick!" he shouted, cutting her off. "I knew you could never care for me! Oh, yeah. You're working for her," he accused her. "Or is this all you? Is this you being the hero and killing the beast?"

"It was working—"

"Shut up!"

"This means it's True Love!" she shouted in response.

"Shut the hell up!" he argued, not wanting to believe it.

"Why won't you believe me?!"

"Because _no one_ —" he broke off in a half sob, crossing to grip her arms tightly. He shook her a little. " _No one_ could ever, _ever_ love me!" he shouted, dragging her to the cell he'd started to put her in in the beginning. He shoved her in and slammed the door, barely registering that bruises were already forming on her arms where he'd grabbed her.

_Now…_

Lacey had just parked behind the cabin when she heard the other vehicle pull up. She went inside and peaked around a corner to see Gold shove her father to the ground. She started to text Emma that she'd been wrong about the location, but stopped herself. Her father deserved what was coming to him.

"Let me explain," Moe said when the tape was ripped from his mouth. "Okay?" Gold put his gun on a table. "Let me explain…"

"Oh?" the man practically trilled as he pulled up a chair and sat in it. "Well, that is…fascinating. Truly fascinating," he snapped, pressing the end of his cane to the other man's throat, cutting off his air. "I'm gonna let you breathe in a second, and you're gonna say two sentences. The first is gonna tell me where it is. The second is gonna tell me who told you to take it. Do you understand the rules?"

"Yeah…," Moe answered with some difficulty.

"Good. Let's begin," Gold snapped, pulling his cane back.

"I needed that van," Moe gasped when he caught his breath.

"Ah, ta, ta, ta, ta," Gold muttered, a sneer on his face. "Now, you see, _that_ is not a good first sentence." He hit the larger man with the cane.

"Oh!" Moe shouted, trying to defend himself while tied up. "Gold! Listen!"

"Tell me where it is!" Gold shouted, hitting him again.

"Oh! Stop!"

"Tell me where it is!" He started hitting him over and over again.

"Oh! Stop! It wasn't my fault!"

"'My fault'? What are you talking about, 'my fault'? You shut her out," he snapped, delivering a blow with every word. So this was about her? Lacey blinked. "You had her love, and you shut her _out_!" Again, with every word another blow was delivered.

"Aah!" her father shouted in dismay and pain. She would have stopped him, but Moe deserved it.

"She's gone. She's gone forever! She's not coming back! And it's your fault!" he continued shouting and hitting Moe. "Not mine! You are her _father_! Yours! It's yours! It's your fault! Your fault she was bruised when she came to me! It's your fault she's _dead_!" Finally, Lacey ran to stop him, grabbing the cane.

"Enough!" she shouted. "Just…enough…" Gold stared blankly at her, as if he was looking at a ghost. Sirens were heard and Lacey let go of the cane. Emma ran in, gun raised, and Lacey slipped out.

Gold stood there, dumbfounded. Had it really been Belle? Emma went around him and checked the pulse of his 'victim'. It wasn't long before an ambulance arrived and the medics loaded Moe French onto a gurney and into the ambulance.

Gold went outside and looked to see a deep red Mustang drive away. He couldn't tell who the driver was, but he assumed that it was just a random woman that had happened to look like Belle to him in his rage. Emma came out to him and he almost questioned her about the woman that had stopped him.

"So I hear you managed not to break anything he needs," the sheriff sighed. "You're lucky, Mr. Gold."

"You have a funny definition of _lucky_ ," he snapped.

"You have a funny definition of justice," she paused. "What did he really do?"

"He stole," was his simple answer.

"That reaction was about more than taking a few trinkets. You said something about how he hurt 'her', what happened to 'her'? Who was that? What did he do? If someone needs help, maybe I can—"

"No," he interrupted. "I'm sorry, Sheriff, I think you heard that wrong."

"You really don't wanna cooperate?"

"Look, we're done here," he quipped, starting to leave. The blonde grabbed his arm.

"Actually…no, we're not. You're under arrest," she said as she clipped her handcuffs around his wrists.

_Then…_

Belle was sitting on the bench in her cell. Of course she hadn't stayed in the cell the entire time, but the Dark One didn't know that. She'd seen his enraged reaction of destroying things and the entire tea set with the exception of the cup she'd chipped so long ago. While she'd been getting that straw, she'd acknowledged that she'd put off getting him to send her away because she loved him. But he couldn't accept that or he was afraid to.

The door opened and Rumplestiltskin stepped into the room. She looked at him. He glanced at her arms and the bruises from where he'd grabbed her. For a split second, she saw regret in his expression.

"So…what are you going to do with me?" she asked softly, looking at the wall. He took a step towards her and gestured to the door.

"Go," he hissed, turning to face the wall.

"Go?" she questioned, standing.

"I don't want you anymore, dearie," he explained bitterly. She frowned, but straightened her dress and started for the door, keeping an eye on him. He remained perfectly still and she caught a glimpse of his expression, which was somewhere between sad and angry.

She stopped and turned, walking to him. She touched his shoulder and forced him to face her. Shock filled his expression for a moment. She could tell so much just by looking at him. She knew that he was only being too cowardly to acknowledge that there was really love between them.

"You know, you were freeing yourself," she snapped. "You could have had happiness, if you just believed that someone could want you. But you couldn't take that chance."

"That's a lie," he growled, eyes narrowed.

"You're a coward, Rumplestiltskin," she accused, closing the distance between them. "And no matter how thick you make your skin, that doesn't change."

"I'm not a coward, dearie," he replied, and it was clear to her that he was lying. "It's quite simple, really. My power…means more to me than you."

"No," she snapped. "No, it doesn't. You just don't think I can love you. Now, you've made your choice. And you're going to regret it," her voice faltered as tears came to her eyes. "Forever. And all you'll have…is an empty heart…" her voice broke. "And a chipped cup." She maintained eye contact for a moment more before leaving the castle. The moment she was off the grounds, she waved a hand to send her few belongings to a hovel.

_Now…_

Gold was not happy with the situation, in the slightest. He was in a cell and Miss Swan was sitting in her office with a sandwich, eating it as though she was showing off. He noticed a nice bouquet of violets on the cabinet behind her and wondered if the sheriff had someone in her life suddenly.

"Pastrami," she said lightly. "You want half?" her mouth was full. "You know, I still owe you that favour. Nice fatty pastrami; delicious way to clear the books."

"Well, I don't need a reminder that you owe me a favour," he snapped, looking at her. "And when the day comes that I make my request, it'll be for more than half a sandwich." His comment made the sheriff grin. Surprisingly, the Mayor came into the space with Henry in tow.

"Sheriff Swan?" Regina said lightly as Emma put her sandwich down. "I'm letting you have thirty minutes with Henry. Take him out, buy him ice cream."

"You want me to leave you alone with a prisoner?" the blonde asked suspiciously.

"Twenty-nine and a half minutes," was the mayor's response as she glared at Gold. Henry and Emma exchanged greetings.

"Bring me back a cone?" Gold requested jokingly.

"Just this once," she answered, grabbing her coat and hurrying out with Henry.

"Well…you really wanted that little chat, didn't you?" he growled at Regina when the other two were gone.

"Apparently, this is the only way I could do it," the mayor replied lightly, approaching his cell.

"Please, _sit_ ," he snapped, prompting her to perch on the arm of the nearby couch. "Now, when two people want something the other has, a deal can always be struck. Do you have what I want?"

"Yes," she answered with a smirk.

"So…you did put him up to it, then."

"I merely suggested that…strong men take what they need."

"Oh, yeah, and you told him just what to take, didn't you?" he growled.

"We used to know each other so well, Mr. Gold. Has it really come down to this?"

"It seems it has, yeah," he answered. "But you know what I want. What is it you want?"

"I want you to answer one question. And answer it simply. What's your name?"

"It's Mr. Gold," he answered with a smirk.

"Your real name," she snapped.

"Every moment I've spent on this earth, that's been my name."

"But what about moments spent elsewhere?" she pressed, catching the loophole in her question.

"What are you asking me?"

"I think you know. If you want me to return what's yours, tell me your name," she reached into her bag. He sighed before giving a sharp chuckle.

"Rumplestiltskin," he answered, standing to grip the bars. "Now give me what I want," he hissed.

"Such hostility."

"Oh, yeah."

"Over this?" she asked, pulling the chipped cup out of her bag. He reached for it, but she pulled it away, swinging it from side to side. "Such a…" He got a grip on it and snatched it from her. "Sentimental little keepsake."

"Thank you…your Majesty," he bit, examining the cup for damage. "So…now that we're being honest with each other, let's remember how things used to be, shall we? And don't let these bars fool you, dear. I'm the one with the power around here. I'm gonna be out of here in no time, and nothing between us will change."

"We shall see," she growled, leaning in and gripping the bars. She then left the room.

_Then…_

Rumplestiltskin was spinning, trying to get his mind off of his growing desire to go out and find Belle and to admit that he was wrong. He sensed someone approaching, but he didn't care. It wasn't the all too familiar, almost fairy-like, aura of Belle, so it didn't matter. It had only been a month since he sent her away, but it still hurt and he secretly wished to sense that aura on the property again.

Particularly since he'd gone to enchant the cleaning supplies to keep the place clean, but he found that they already _were_ enchanted. He'd wondered why whenever he left the castle and came back things were cleaner. She must have found a way to make things do the work for her while he was out.

The doors opened and Regina sauntered in, making a comment on flimsy locks and making a deal. Something about a mermaid was also mentioned. He barely glanced at her as she poured herself a cup of tea.

"I'm not dealing today…," he muttered.

"Are you angry with me?" she questioned, putting sugar in her tea. "What is it this time?"

"Your little deception failed," he answered. "You'll never be more powerful than me. You can keep trying, dearie, but you're never gonna beat me."

"Oh," she clicked her tongue. "Is this about that girl I met on the road?" she mocked. "What was her name? Margie? Verna?"

"Belle," he corrected, getting aggravated.

"Right. Well…," she paused. "You can rest assured I had nothing to do with _that_ tragedy." His hand stopped working his wheel and he stared at her. He stood and crossed to her as she stirred her tea.

" _What_ tragedy?" he questioned.

"You don't know?" she asked with a chuckle, setting the spoon down. "Well, after she got home…her fiancé had gone missing," she explained, giving him a knowing look. "And after her stay here, her…'association' with you, no one would want her, of course. Her father shunned her, cut her off, shut her out."

"So she needs…a home?" he asked, almost hopefully.

"He was cruel to her," Regina chuckled. "He locked her in a tower and sent in clerics to cleanse her soul with scourges and flaying. After a while, she threw herself off the tower. She died."

"You're lying," he hissed. He had the feeling she was saying all that to get to him, but considering that Belle _had_ been bruised and made comments about coming from an abusive home, it wouldn't have surprised him if it was the truth.

"Am I?"

"We're done," he snapped, waving the doors open.

"Fine," the queen said lightly, putting her cup down. "I have other calls to make." She paused in her exit to wipe some dust from a pedestal. "Hm…the place is looking dusty, _Rumple_. You should get a new girl." She left with that and he slammed the doors behind her.

After a moment, he removed a goblet from a pedestal and put the chipped cup in its place. He put the goblet in a hidden cabinet and glanced at the cup. He sat down at his wheel and started crying, finally admitting that he really did love her.

_Now…_

Lacey went to the hospital room where they'd put her father after patching him up. She locked the door behind herself and ran a finger across the counter as she crossed to his bed.

"Hello, Father," she said lightly. He looked at her in surprise. "Surprised I came to visit you? You're lucky I didn't let him _kill you_ ," she snapped. "I suppose you think that the reason I stopped talking to you is that you didn't agree with my choice of career," she sighed, leaning in. "And soon enough you'll remember why I really hate you, what you did to me, and my mother. You owe me for saving your life, Maurice. Remember that," she quipped, leaving the room.


	13. What Happened to Frederick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kathryn Nolan confronts her husband about his affair with a revelation of her own. In the Enchanted Forest, runaway groom Prince Charming helps his former fiancée to recover something precious to her in a deal to get out of the commitment.

_Then…_

Princess Abigail was in a carriage, being brought to King George. It was unusual, but she wasn't surprised. She knew her fiancé didn't care for her, and she didn't care for him. When the carriage stopped, she stepped down to meet her future father-in-law.

"Princess Abigail," he greeted. "Your beauty grows with each passing day. It is an honour to have you join my family."

"Thank you, your majesty," she replied, noticing the excessively large group of guards.

"Let's go!" one called, prompting the rest to ride off.

"Is everything okay?" she asked, though she had a feeling that it was her fiancé, on the run.

"Just the excitement of the royal wedding. We want to ensure the safety of our guests," the king lied. "So, if you'll excuse me." he bowed and approached one of his guards. "Find him," she heard him whisper. Abigail rolled her eyes, her own plan forming for her runaway fiancé.

Prince James (he hated the name, but he'd gotten used to being addressed by it) urged his horse on, through the forest. He heard guards behind him and he urged the horse faster. A large group of guards emerged from the trees. He shouted, urging the horse even faster. A few bolts were fired from crossbows, but missed as he jumped a fallen tree.

He glanced back to see them stop, unable to make the jump. He heard them shout to each other and he took a turn in the road, dismounting to jump into the cover of the trees. He hid and waited for them to catch up and follow both forks in the road. He turned when they were gone, only to be grabbed by two men in purple cloaks.

 _Well damn_ , he thought sourly.

_Now…_

Kathryn Nolan was sitting at the table with her husband. She needed to talk to him about something, but she wasn't sure how to address it. She had a feeling he was having an affair, but at the same time, she'd met someone that _she'd_ connected with, so she couldn't really say anything about it.

"Chicken's delicious," David said.

"David," she started. "There's…something we need to discuss."

"Okay?"

"I…applied to law school," she told him, instead of addressing the affair.

"That's amazing! Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "Maybe because I didn't think I could _actually_ do it? But I did," she said, pulling out her acceptance letter. "I got this today." She handed it to him. "I got in," she said as he opened it and looked it over.

"It…It's…in…Boston," he said slowly.

"I know things have been hard between us…," she started. "But maybe a fresh start is what we need. Maybe we've been fighting too hard to recapture old memories when…we should have been making new ones instead." _Maybe if we get away, we can forget them_ , she thought.

_Then…_

Abigail watched as her men brought James to her. She waited in the shadows as they removed the covering from his head.

" _Who_ are you?" he demanded as one of them raised his dagger. "What are you waiting for? Do you think I fear you?" Despite whatever James might have expected, the man only cut his bonds. Abigail led her horse over. "Abigail? What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to get my hands on you," she explained. "Before your father ripped you to shreds, that is."

"How did you know I was going—"

"Because I have ears in the king's court," she interrupted. "And despite everyone's best efforts to shield me from it, I know the truth. You love Snow White…and you have no intention of marrying me," she continued.

"I won't marry someone I don't love," he replied. "Or give that… _despot_ the satisfaction that I helped him. If that means suffering the consequences, so be it."

"You're prepared to lay down your life. How charming. But I didn't come here to see you die," Abigail said. "I came here to help you escape."

"Why would you do _anything_ to help me?"

"Because I don't wanna marry you either," she said tiredly.

_Now…_

David met with Mary Margaret at her truck after telling Kathryn that he needed to clear his head and think about moving to Boston. He didn't want to leave. He loved Mary Margaret, and he was starting to wonder if Kathryn was only acting around him.

"What did you tell her?" Mary Margaret asked him.

"That I needed to take a walk," he sighed, walking with her. "Clear my head…think about it."

"I'm guessing you didn't tell her that the walk was with me."

"No," he answered immediately. "No, of course not."

"Why is that our default?" she demanded bitterly. He looked at her. "Lying."

"Because, I don't—"

"We're not being honest," she interrupted him. "I know it's hard, but…we have to tell her the truth! About everything…about us…" He stopped walking and she turned to look at him.

"I don't know if I can." _I don't know how to tell her_ , he thought.

"You have to," she said after a pause. "If we can't be honest with other people, how can we be honest with each other?"

"Is it really the best plan?" he asked.

"What's your plan?" she asked in return and he shrugged. He hadn't thought of it. "Moving to Boston? The only way no one gets hurt here is if we don't want to be together. Is that what you want?"

"No," he answered immediately.

"Then we have to stop _hiding_ and _do_ something. It's better she hears it from you than from someone else." He nodded a little. "You have to make a choice."

"I choose…," he sighed. "You."

"Then it's time to tell Kathryn," she said before going back to her car. He sighed and continued walking.

Emma was going into Granny's to get some breakfast before going to the station. She saw him on his way out. The first time she'd seen the stranger's face. And sure enough, just as the name Henry had told her implied, it was Neal.

"Neal…," she growled.

"Emma…I've been meaning to bump into you. Matter of fact, I was hoping we might grab a drink…"

"Is this you asking me out?" she asked bitterly.

"Well, if putting a label on it helps…," he started.

"No, Neal. I'm not interested."

"Emma, come on…"

"You should be ashamed of yourself," she snapped. "Having the _nerve_ to try and ask me out after what you did to me." She shoved past him, nearly knocking him over. She didn't give him a chance to say anything before she went into the diner and slammed the door almost too hard. She spotted Mary Margaret at their usual table and joined her.

"Who was _that_?" her roommate asked as Ruby brought her a hot cocoa with extra cinnamon. She nodded in thanks, though she'd rather have had a glass of whiskey.

"No one," she bit.

"Slamming the door like that didn't seem like he's no one…"

"He's really no one…"

"Okay, I'm going to assume that 'no one' to you means 'someone'. Otherwise we wouldn't be talking about it." Emma gave her a look.

"I'm sorry, I thought _you_ called _me_ here to talk about you," she bit.

"Yeah, but talking about you is easier right now."

"What is it? What's wrong?"

Meanwhile, Kathryn was meeting with Andrew on her way to go grocery shopping. Something about him, and being with him, felt right. He started to greet her with a kiss, but she stopped him.

"Andrew…you know I'm married…," she sighed.

"Yeah, but no one's gonna see…"

"I know, but until I talk to my husband, I'm not comfortable with it," she replied.

"You said you were going to talk to him."

"I couldn't figure out how to approach the subject."

He shook his head a little and left. She sighed and went to get her groceries. After she got them, she went home and started looking at apartments. It was a good backup plan, though she honestly was starting to think it'd be better to break it off with David. Then he could be with Mary Margaret, and she could be with Andrew.

With a sigh, she closed the site and pulled out her phone. She sent a text to her husband to verify that he was at work and then to Andrew to let him know that she was going to tell David the truth. She then grabbed her coat and went to the animal shelter to meet with her husband.

"David, we need to talk," she said when she got there. "About us."

_Then…_

James was getting frustrated with Abigail and her secrecy. They stopped riding at last and he glared at her.

"We have reached my father's realm," Abigail explained. "We should be safe here." They all dismounted. "I have provisions waiting for you," she said, handing him a bag.

"I can't take any of it," he argued, tossing the bag down. " _Not_ until you tell me what's really going on."

"I told you—"

"Stop playing games!" he interrupted her. One of her guards approached, but she waved him off. "If you have no feelings for me, as you say, why show me any kindness at all? What _haven't_ you told me?"

"This isn't about you, James," she sighed. "It's me. I don't want to marry you because…my heart _also_ belongs to another. A man I was once to wed. A man named Frederick."

"What happened?" he asked.

"We all have our own tragedies, lost love being the worst. I thought reuniting you with yours might grant me some consolation."

"Well, I'm afraid I’m not able to help you, then," he sighed. "My…'love' told me…in no uncertain terms that she doesn't feel for me as…I do for her. Can't fight for something that doesn't exist. So…," he sighed again. "There's _my_ tragedy."

"That's no tragedy," she argued. "Come." Abigail offered him her hand and he took it with hesitation. "Follow me." She led him to a pavilion with armed guards. The prize they were guarding was a golden statue of a soldier in a heroic pose. "A moment, please," she spoke to the guards. They left immediately. "This is where my beloved Frederick sacrificed his life."

"I'm sorry," he offered. "Did he die in battle?"

"We were traveling with my father, King Midas. When our caravan was ambushed," she explained. "Frederick bravely defended us, and was cut down saving my father's life."

"It's a fitting tribute," he said softly. "The craftsmanship is…it's remarkable. I haven't seen anything quite so…lifelike." He touched the arm of the statue.

"That's because the arm you're touching, is actually Frederick's."

"Excuse me?"

"It's not a statue," she said. "Frederick saw the attack when no one else did…and threw himself in front of my father, knocking him to safety. Because of my father's curse…he was instantly turned to gold."

"All curses can be broken," he offered. "Have you tried True Love's Kiss?"

"Until my lips bled," she answered, touching the gold helmet blocking Frederick's lips.

"The gold got in the way…there must be something else to do."

"There is legend of a lake. Lake Nostos," she sighed. "Its waters are said to have magical properties that can return to you something that was once lost."

"And…what? You haven't tried it?"

"Of course I have," she retorted. "But the lake is guarded by a ghastly creature that drowns its victims. No one who's ever faced it has lived to return." He saw how distraught she was, and decided to give it a try.

"Don't give up hope just yet," he told her, touching her shoulder gently. "I will face this…guardian. And return with the water that will undo this wretched curse."

"None have succeeded!" she argued.

"None have my fearless bravery," he said proudly.

"A fearless disregard for their own safety," she corrected.

"Either way," he sighed. " _One_ of us should have our happiness."

"And if you die, neither of us will!"

"No, not true," he said. "Don't you understand? If I succeed, you'll be reunited with Frederick and _your_ misery ends. If I fail, the misery that ends will be mine."

_Now…_

David was dumbfounded. He'd been considering excuses to give to Kathryn, when she came to him with such a surprising thing.

"I've been seeing someone else…," she said again. "A man named Andrew. At first it was unintentional, but we connected, David."

"I can understand that…," he sighed after a long beat. "Mary Margaret and I—"

"I know," she cut him off. "I wanted you to tell me first, but I was looking at apartments and I just couldn't stand it anymore."

"Well…thank you for telling me." _Before I lost the nerve and lied to you_ , he thought. "So…what now?"

"I suppose we start over. I don't mind staying in the same house for now…"

"Okay, then…," he said. "Well…I should get back to work."

"Okay, I'll see you later," she said, leaving. He sighed in relief.

_Then…_

"What's this?" James asked as they came to a shrine.

"It's a shrine to the guardian of the lake. Every man who faces it leaves an offering here first, asking for the creature's mercy." He sighed tiredly at Abigail's explanation. It really did them a lot of good. How terrible could this beast be?

"I go the rest of the way alone," he told her.

"No, this is for me," she insisted. "You have to let me come with you." She started towards him.

"No," he stopped her. "The only life I want in my hands, is my own."

"Good luck, then," she sighed. "And don't forget…," she trailed off, looking at the shrine.

"A lot of good it did them." He hurried towards the lake.

_Now…_

After he got home, David called Mary Margaret. He knew she was at work, but he needed to talk to her. Kathryn was setting up the guest room, having insisted that he keep the house and that she'd move in with Andrew when they got things figured out. He felt that it should be _him_ leaving the house when she'd lived there so long.

"David?" Mary Margaret answered, a little winded.

"Hey…," he sighed, glad to hear her voice.

"Did you tell her?"

"Yeah," he answered honestly, even though he had only told her because she'd told him about her own affair first.

"How did it go?"

"It's…complicated. I need to talk to you in person. Can we meet after you finish at the school?"

"Sure," she answered. "How complicated could it be, though?"

"I'll explain when I see you," he promised.

"David?" Kathryn called from the guest room.

"You two are together?" Mary Margaret questioned him.

"I'll—"

"David, do you mind if I invite Andrew over for dinner to talk? Maybe you could have Mary Margaret over," Kathryn said, coming into the space.

"David?"

"That sounds fine. Mary Margaret, do you want to join us for dinner?"

"Why? Is she taking it well?"

"That's where it gets complicated."

"Okay, sure. I'll come by. Do I need to dress up or…?" He started to answer when Kathryn snatched the phone from him.

"Mary Margaret? Hi, it's Kathryn. No, it's fine. Don't worry about it. I'm having someone else come over. It'll be easier for the four of us to discuss things all together. All right, I'm making Lasagna, if you wanted to bring a casserole or something? Great. See you then."

_Then…_

Abigail waited anxiously with her guards at the pavilion. She was terrified that he would fail, but hoping with all her heart that his confidence was warranted. The guards offered to take her to the castle to rest and notify her when he returned, but she wouldn't have been able to sleep until she knew whether he was alive or dead. This was her last chance to get Frederick back.

James stepped up to the edge of the water. It looked harmless enough. He pulled out an empty flask and moved to fill it with the water. When the flask touched the water, a ripple and a soft glow spread from where he stood. Instinctively, he took a few steps back, putting the flask down. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword.

"Where are you?" he called into the night. "Make yourself known to me!" He looked around warily. "Beast!" he snapped, drawing his sword. "Show yourself."

A figure started to rise from the water and he brandished the sword. The _beast_ was a _siren_.

"Here I am," she said lightly.

_Now…_

Emma stepped out of the diner as Neal drove up on his bike. He lifted the visor on his helmet as she approached. She felt like an idiot for agreeing to this. Her gut was telling her one thing, while her heart was telling her another, and her head was screaming at her not to get on the bike. She felt almost forced into this.

"Aren't you gonna come inside?" she asked him as he idled by the curb.

"Nope."

"I thought you said you wanted drinks," she snapped.

"I did, but I didn't say here," he answered lightly. "Hop on."

"You want me to get on the back of that bike?" she questioned. _Don't do it, Em, this is the guy that sent you to jail pregnant_ , she told herself sharply. But she _wanted_ to. She wanted to forget all the pain he'd caused her and start over…forget whatever it was that she had with Regina and go back to that time when she was seventeen and gullible.

"That's what hop on means, Emma," he said in response.

"How about we go somewhere I drive?"

"How about _you_ stop having to control the situation? You weren't like this before—"

"Before what? Before you turned me in to save your own ass?!" she bit. "Screw this. If you talk to me again, I have the authority to throw your ass in jail for harassment," she snapped, storming off.

Abigail was a little nervous about the dinner. But she was okay with it. Sure, things were complicated, and David kept insisting on her keeping the house. But it _was_ in his name, so it would be harder on everyone involved if he moved out. Mary Margaret was the first to arrive.

"Welcome," she greeted.

"You know, this is a little unusual…," the teacher sighed, holding up a pan of casserole. "I hope green bean casserole is okay…it was the quickest thing I could throw together…"

"It's fine," she said, leading the other to the kitchen. "And I know it's unusual, but we all have a lot to talk about."

"Who's the fourth person coming?"

"My…boyfriend," she said slowly. Mary Margaret's face showed pure shock.

_Then…_

James stared in open shock at the siren. He'd expected some frightening sea creature or something, but not a siren. It was no surprise that no men had ever survived this quest. He would have to rely on his love for Snow, as much as it broke his heart.

"What's your name?" the creature asked, her voice musical. Not as beautiful a voice as Snow's. She walked on the water towards him as he remained perfectly still. "Would you like to know mine? Because I can be anyone you want me to be."

"Stop," he commanded, lifting his sword. "I know what you are. You're a siren. And your deceitful words are a spell meant to lure me to my death."

"I would never hurt such a brave," she started, pushing his sword away gently. "Powerful man, like yourself. Not when there are so many…other things…we could do?" She stepped forward, touching his doublet.

"I said, stop," he snapped, grabbing her wrist. "I will _not_ fall prey to your deceptions."

"Really?" she questioned, stepping back. "You're immune to me?" She stooped and picked up a handful of the water before standing and pouring it over her head. When she lowered her hands, she looked like Snow. "Like me more now, Charming?" she asked with Snow's voice. He knew it wasn't her, but…he almost caved.

"No…," he said softly. "You're not really her. It's an illusion. I know it's not real." _You can beat this creature, David_ , he told himself. _Snow said herself that she doesn't love me. I can do this._

"Sometimes illusions are better than truth," the siren said, stepping towards him again. "Everything you want…that you can't have…I can give it to you…" Her spell started to work on him, slowly. "All you have to do…is kiss me…," she whispered. "I know you want to, I can feel it…"

"No…," he protested, resisting. But his body had other ideas. He kissed her, dropping his sword into the water. She broke away from him and pulled him slowly out towards the centre of the lake. He complied reluctantly, and then he finally was able to stop. "No," he said firmly. "I don't want an illusion. I want reality, or nothing."

"This doesn't feel real?" she questioned, kissing him again, pulling him back into her spell.

"Snow…"

"That's right…it's me…," she said, kissing him again. "I love you…"

"No," he pulled away from her. "It's not you."

"Yes it is! I love you!"

"No. This isn't real. I've felt real love," he said, pushing her away. "And this isn't it. I know the difference."

"Congratulations, Prince Charming," the siren bit. "You're the first." She shoved him into the water and dragged him down. He struggled, breaking free from her hold.

He could see corpses at the bottom of the lake and he tried to escape. Something caught his ankle and pulled him down, trapping him. He was about to pass out from lack of air. But then he noticed a small knife near him. As the siren swam to him, he went to pick it up. She grabbed his doublet and pulled him to face her, giving him a fierce kiss.

He had the knife in his grip, so he stabbed her. She floated away from him slowly, the illusion melting away as the water turned red. He freed himself and swam to the surface, taking a sharp breath when he broke through.

_Now…_

"Your boyfriend?" Mary Margaret asked, dumbfounded. _So_ that's _why she's taking things so well…she was having an affair of her own_ , she thought.

"Yes," was the simple answer. "That's why things are a little complicated now…"

"Then…I guess we'll just all have a chat over dinner…"

"That was the plan. I know it's unusual, but I think it'll be easier on all of us if we figure things out as a group," Kathryn explained. Mary Margaret nodded a little in understanding.

"Okay."

Emma was still ticked off. She went to Regina's house and stared at the car in the garage. Henry was probably there. She didn't want to tell him about…whatever it was that her relationship with Regina was…at least not until she herself knew what it was. They'd agreed that it was nothing, but Emma was starting to wonder.

It was different from how she used to feel about Neal, but there was something. She shook her head and went to get her bug. Leaves were covering it, so she started brushing them away. She got to the back of the car and saw something red in the gutter, covered partly in leaves. She toed it out of hiding. It looked an awful lot like Henry's red lockbox that he'd hid the book in. Shocked, she bent and pulled the box closer, opening it. Sure enough, the book was inside it.

How had it managed to survive…? And in such good condition…

Kathryn smiled a little as they sat down to dinner. Of course, it was a little awkward at first, with her sitting across from Mary Margaret and Andrew across from David.

"So…," Andrew said slowly after a bit. "This is a little awkward. I don't think I've ever heard of this happening…"

"What? Both sides of a marriage having affairs at the same time?" Mary Margaret questioned. "Because it _is_ odd."

"And a little convenient," Kathryn said. "We have a chance to work things out and know that everyone will be happy. I realized…I've…never loved you, David…and I'm glad I realized it now, when you have a chance with someone you love." She looked meaningfully at Mary Margaret.

"So…what are we going to do? You've lived in this house since my accident," David started. "It wouldn't be right to—"

"The house is in your name," she argued.

"I have room in my house," Andrew piped in. "It's a three bedroom, and since there aren't any vacancies…Kathryn, you could move in with me?"

"I'd like that," she answered, taking his hand. David looked at Mary Margaret.

"I can talk to Emma and switch my lease into her name," the teacher commented. "I think I'd enjoy staying with you…"

"Then it's settled?" Kathryn asked, glad that things were going smoothly. Everyone nodded in agreement and they finished eating.

_Then…_

Abigail was staring at Frederick, her feet getting sore. But she couldn't find a comfortable place to sit. It had been a long while since she'd left James at the lake. She was beginning to worry that he'd failed. The thought of never seeing Frederick again brought tears to her eyes and she found herself crying a little.

She heard someone approaching and she turned hopefully. Sure enough, Prince James was running up to her. He was alive and looking rather pleased with himself. The princess smiled brightly, sighing in relief.

"Water, from Lake Nostos," he said, holding out a full flask. She was overjoyed as she took it. "As requested."

"Remarkable!" she gasped, tears of a different sort flowing. "But how did you manage to slay the beast?"

"The fate of your true love was at stake," he said simply. "It was a battle I couldn't afford to lose." He then motioned towards Frederick. She turned and walked to the golden figure. Slowly, she opened the flask and lifted it, pouring the water over Frederick's head. The gold wavered and turned to iron.

Frederick fell forward with a confused groan. Abigail began crying as she gasped out her excitement. She quickly removed his helmet and pulled him into a passionate kiss.

"My dear, what happened to me?" he asked.

"You were trapped!" she said. "But now, you're free!" she kissed him again. Frederick looked over to see James. "This is James," she explained, standing with her love. "He's the one who freed you." The two men met and shook hands.

"I am forever indebted to you," Frederick told the prince.

"Well, pay me back…by walking down the aisle with someone you truly belong with," James said solemnly. "And perhaps…giving me a horse? And supplies for a journey as well?"

"Done."

"Thank you," Abigail said, moving towards him. "So much…," she continued, taking James' hand. "Where will you go?"

"To find Snow White."

"You _are_ going after her?"

"True Love…isn't easy," he said. "But it must be fought for. Because…once you find it, it can never be replaced." He turned to leave.

"How will you know where to find her?"

"Well, a bird helped me track her down once…hopefully, it can again."

"Well then, good luck," she told him. He turned to leave again. "Oh, and James!" she called to him. "Make haste. When King George discovers that the union of the kingdoms has been ruined, he will come after you. Some people will stop at nothing to destroy the happiness of others." He nodded and left.

_Now…_

Emma sauntered up to the school the next day, the book tucked into her jacket. She saw Henry sitting on a bench, playing Space Paranoids on a handheld game. She sat down with him.

"Wow, I love that game," she said. "Space Paranoids, right?"

"Yeah, my mom got it for me," he answered, looking up.

"I used to play that all the time when I was a kid." He started playing again. "Relax, it's all in the wrist." He died and they both sighed.

"My mom's picking me up in like, five minutes," he said.

"All right, I'll be quick then," she replied, pulling the book out. "I just had something I'd like to give you."

"You found it!" he shouted, taking the book from her. "Where'd you get it?"

"I found it in a gutter," she sighed. "It must've fallen out of the dump truck on the way to the junk yard and…tossed around in the rain and somehow found its way back to me."

"Wow, that's crazy."

"What other explanation could there be?"

"I don't know…"

"Well, whatever happened…it came back to me."

"Maybe our luck is changing," he said brightly. "Operation Cobra is back on! It's a sign. Things _are_ gonna get better."

"I hope you're right, kid," she said, smiling. "I gotta go." She got up after ruffling his hair and left.

_Then…_

James rode into a clearing, shouting for Snow. There was no one there. He dismounted and started looking on foot.

"Snow!" he called. "Are you there?"

"She's gone!" a woman called to him. He turned to see who it was, relieved that it was Red. "She never came back after she went to find you."

"Then I'll find her," he said after a moment's pause. "I will always find her. And I will convince her that we belong together. I will always fight for her, no matter what comes between us." He went to his horse and got ready to mount again.

"It won't be much of a fight," she replied with a grin.

"What are you talking about?"

"Snow wants to be with you, more than anything."

"Don't mock me," he said. "Snow told me that we can't be together because she _doesn't_ love me."

"She left here, to break up your wedding," she insisted. " _Because_ she loves you. Unless…something changed her mind along the way."

"Not some _thing_ ," he growled. "Some _one_."

"James?" she questioned, just as the sound of guards could be heard. "Who are they?"

"That someone: King George," he ground out, mounting. "Come on!" He pulled Red onto the horse and they rode off.

_Now…_

Mary Margaret came home, still feeling a little overwhelmed at what was going on. She saw Emma at the table and sat across from her.

"Okay…what's wrong?"

"Nothing. Actually, everything's great!" she answered brightly. "Kathryn's leaving him."

"What? Why? Did she take it badly?"

"No! She took it great," Mary Margaret beamed. "She's moving in with her boyfriend, Andrew."

"Wait, what? Boyfriend? She was having an affair too?"

"I know! I was shocked, too. But the four of us talked…and Kathryn's moving in with Andrew…and…I was going to move in with David…"

"What about the apartment?"

"It's not that hard to change names on an apartment lease," she reassured her. "You can still stay here, but…we're getting a fresh start…all of us."

"Great."

Kathryn was on her way to the house, her back seat full of boxes. She was smiling happily, until someone ran into the road in front of her. She swerved to avoid them and rammed into a building. The impact deployed her airbag, but she lost consciousness almost immediately.


	14. Dreamy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lacey makes a public appearance by helping Mary Margaret and Leroy with their volunteering for Miner's Day after Leroy makes a promise he might not be able to keep. In the Enchanted Forest, young dwarf Dreamy finds forbidden love with clumsy fairy Nova.

_Then…_

Nova was struggling. It was her first time carrying the dust, and she already had trouble flying. She nearly dropped it on the way, twice. Finally, she saw Blue and thought she could make it. But then she nearly dropped out of the sky.

"Easy!" Blue shouted as she barely managed to catch herself.

"Sorry…," she whispered, clutching the bag of dust to her chest.

"Careful!" Blue gasped. "Careful…," she corrected herself. "Fairy Dust is the most precious substance, in all the land."

"Its magic is what—"

"Powers the world," her superior interrupted. "This," she indicated the bag. "Is the year's supply. We must be cautious."

"I know…"

"Because next year, you'll be doing this alone."

"I'll…still be picking up dust?" she questioned. She'd been training for a long time already…but another year or more? "I…thought I'd be a Fairy Godmother by then…" Blue laughed in surprise.

"Oh…Nova…you really are a dreamer…," she sighed, touching Nova's hand. "Did you return from the mines with all the dust… _safe_?" She nodded a little and Blue started flying away. Startled, Nova followed, struggling to stay in the air and not drop the bag of dust.

_Now…_

Lacey was sitting in the Diner, eating a late breakfast. She watched from her table as three of the dwarves had a bit of a spat, mostly caused by Leroy refusing to change seats. She was about to stand and offer her table to them, as she was almost done eating and could easily move, but Mr. Clark sneezed unexpectedly onto Leroy's arm.

The grumpy man stood in a huff and started to leave just as Mary Margaret came into the diner. Silence fell as she cleared her throat.

"Excuse me?" she called. "Can I have everyone's attention please?" All eyes turned to her. "I'm sorry to interrupt your morning, but I'm here to remind everyone that a very special occasion is upon us…Miner's Day. As always, the Nuns of Storybrooke are excited and hopeful that everyone will get involved in helping to sell their exquisite candles. All we need are a few…energetic volunteers."

No one spoke up. And who would? Barely anyone used the candles, much less bought them. Lacey waited to see if anyone would sign up. "So who wants to join me?" Everyone went back about their business and Leroy started to leave. "Leroy, you want to volunteer?"

"I wanna leave, sister," he corrected. "You're blocking the door." Mary Margaret stepped aside and Leroy left. Mary Margaret followed, disappointed. Lacey sighed and got up, paying her tab before following. Emma was hot on her tail. They caught up with their friend and walked with her.

Emma asked about the holiday and Mary Margaret explained. Lacey almost laughed at the absurd history of the holiday. _Coal_ was not really something that would be found in this area. Emma's phone rang and she answered before leaving with an apology.

"I thought you had plenty of volunteers?" Lacey asked as the blonde left.

"Yeah…I _did_ , but they all dropped out this week. All because of some stupid rumour…"

"Rumour?" she questioned in surprise.

"You haven't heard? Even though we're handling things, someone's been going around saying that I broke up David's marriage…"

"That isn't the case? He's leaving her, for you…"

"No! Kathryn was the one that left him. We all talked about it. She was having an affair too…so everyone decided to follow their hearts and Kathryn's moving in with her boyfriend and I'm moving in with David…"

"But someone started spreading rumours about _your_ affair without full information? Sounds like something Regina would do…," she muttered the last part.

"But why? I don't understand why she constantly attacks me…," Mary Margaret sighed dejectedly. Lacey paused, but she couldn't tell her friend the real reason behind the mayor's behaviour. If she was honest, Lacey didn't quite know the truth behind Regina's distaste for the woman, it wasn't even in the book.

Sister Astrid was trying to fix a light when she accidently knocked over a container of glitter. _Can this day get any worse?_ She wondered. She looked down to see that she'd dumped the glitter onto someone's head. _I shouldn't have even thought that…_ , she thought bitterly.

"I'm so sorry, it just slipped out of my hand…," she apologized frantically as he looked at her. There was something oddly familiar about him…but she couldn't place it. He cracked a smile and her heart skipped a beat.

"No problem at all," he replied gently. She got down from the ladder and tried to help get the glitter off of him. She was a little surprised by his rough appearance compared to his gentle voice.

"I really am so sorry…I was so busy trying to get the lights to work, that I didn't realize I was about to knock it off the ladder…"

"Let me take a look at those lights for ya," he offered, slipping around her to climb up. She watched him. "Here's your problem…you're overloading the transformer," he explained, reaching to unplug things. "If you'd kept messing around with these lights, it could've blown up on you."

"Oh…," she paused, realizing he'd come by just in time. "Well, I guess that makes you my hero."

"I'm nobody's hero, sister," he replied, fiddling with the plugs. She grinned and folded her hands over her legs.

"Oh…you can just call me…Astrid…," she said lightly.

"I call _everybody_ sister," he sighed. "I'm Leroy," he said as he pushed a plug back in and the lights switched on.

"Oh my gosh!" she gasped. "Are you an electrician?"

"I'm in the custodial services game…," he answered as he climbed down.

"That's…wonderful."

"No, it's not. What I really wanted to do…was sail. I even bought a boat. It's a real clunker, I was gonna fix it up…sail it around the world, say goodbye to this hell hole—" he froze. "I'm sorry, sister," he apologized for his language quickly. She couldn't help but grin about that.

"It's okay," she winked. "You know…someone once told me…you can do anything, as long as you can dream it." Though suddenly, she couldn't remember exactly who told her that.

"You really think so?" he asked hopefully.

"Sure! Look how easily you fixed those lights. I bet you could do anything." She brushed a bit more glitter off of him and backed up, catching herself before she tried to kiss him. The urge was surprisingly strong. "I should…get back to the volunteer center…nice to meet you, Leroy." She hurried off, barely keeping from bumping into anyone. By the time she got back to the others, her heart was racing.

Emma was shocked. In the middle of town, a car had crashed, but no one had seen it happen. When the owner of the store the car had hit saw the aftermath, he'd called an ambulance and the station, but by the time the ambulance got there, the driver was gone. Emma had arrived just after the ambulance. She was glad she'd taken the extra two minutes to get her cruiser.

She started taking pictures of the scene immediately after getting the bare minimum on the story. She found out that the car belonged to Kathryn Nolan while she was working on it. Boxes were in the back seat, probably so that the woman could pack her things to move.

Then, Emma saw Sidney pull up and get out of his car with a camera. She sighed and approached him. She wasn't in the mood to deal with him.

"Sidney, you can't be here," she said. "You know that the terms of your parole are that you stay out of reporting and 'research'. I've already had to arrest you once for trying to sell scandal pictures to the mayor." She'd put money on him being the one to be spreading those rumours about Mary Margaret being the only one having an affair. Dejectedly, he got back in his car and Emma went back to work.

When she finished taking pictures, she called David to tell him to meet her at the station. She then let the tow truck remove the vehicle. "Take it to the station so I can do a full sweep of it," she told the driver. "And make sure you don't touch anything you don't absolutely have to." The workers nodded and she got in her cruiser, driving to the station.

David was already there, but so was another man. It must have been Kathryn's boyfriend. Emma parked and took her camera to her office. When she got into her office, a fresh vase of violets was on her desk and she smiled when she saw the note on it. _If you're not busy, meet me for dinner?_

_Then…_

The newly hatched dwarf was full of questions. He was particularly curious about the beautiful woman he'd seen before he had hatched. She was dressed all in pink and floating on clouds. He was surprised at the foreman's harsh outlook on it. Was it really that clear-cut?

After he was clean and dressed, he joined the other seven from the group that had hatched right after him. They were each given axes and his read 'Dreamy' when he took it.

"The axe never lies, Dreamy," the foreman told him before sending him and his brothers off to work.

_Now…_

Lacey was sitting at the table with Mary Margaret. She was very uncomfortable with being around the _nuns_ , but she wanted to help her friend. Particularly since no one seemed to be interested in volunteering with her. The Nolans and their lovers would have to make a public statement about their situation at this rate, all because someone couldn't leave well enough alone.

"Where can I sign up?" Leroy asked, startling them both. Mary Margaret glared at him. "I wanna volunteer to help sell candles."

"No, you don't. You made that very clear this morning, at Granny's…"

"Well…," he paused and Lacey watched as he looked over, towards the Mother Superior and Sister Astrid. So he'd met his love in this world. Lacey sighed a little. "Maybe I saw the light?" Lacey ignored the rest of the conversation, seeing Mother Superior getting increasingly agitated.

More than a dozen helium tanks were being brought in. She excused herself and stepped outside to make a call.

"Thank you for calling Storybrooke Party Supply, how can I help you?" a young woman answered the phone on the third ring.

"Yes, I have eleven dozen helium tanks on an over-order," Lacey told her.

"Are you from the church? Because we don't do refunds, miss."

"No, but you do offer buy backs. I've done my research. They only need one dozen for the event. File the transaction under Lacey French," she instructed before hanging up. The Mother Superior stormed out of the volunteer center and Lacey followed.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes, Mother Superior," she answered. "I have a deal to propose."

"I'm not interested…we have a—"

"Budget problem," she interrupted. "I know. There are twelve dozen helium tanks being delivered. I'll arrange for the company to buy back the extra at half price."

"…What's your price?" the woman asked warily. Clearly the woman at least acknowledged that everything comes with a price. She highly doubted any of the fairies had been willing to use any sort of memory preserving magic they couldn't conjure up with their fairy dust.

"You personally will owe me a favour," she answered wryly. "Fortunately for you, I'm much more lenient than your landlord." _Though no less hateful towards you._

"Okay…," she sighed after a long beat. "We have a deal, Miss…"

"French. Lacey French."

Sister Astrid's hopes were lifted as Leroy spoke. She wasn't sure he'd be able to follow through on the promises he was making, but she was grateful that he would at least try. She just couldn't do _anything_ right. And to make things worse, the more he spoke and cheered her up, the more she wanted to kiss him, or hug him, or _something_. He really was a hero.

Emma watched the reactions of the two men. They were both shocked. They clearly didn't know anything about what had happened.

"That's…so strange. She was going to pick up boxes to pack her things in…," David explained. "Mary Margaret told you about the moves, right?"

"Yes, she did. And there were boxes in her back seat."

"Who would do something like this…?" Kathryn's boyfriend asked.

"What do you mean, Andrew?" David looked at him.

"Well…it looks like someone kidnapped her…"

"True. Everything at the scene points to a kidnapping," Emma agreed.

_Then…_

Nova was not happy with the situation, but she grinned and bore it. She was watching her sack get filled with dust, waiting for it to be full. When it was just about full, she reached up to turn the valve shut. It was either stuck, or she just wasn't strong enough to move it.

"Help!" she cried out. "Someone, please, help!" Suddenly, the rod moved and she fell into a dwarf. Starstruck, she straightened up and moved to close her bag up. "Oh, thank you…"

"It's you," he said as she pulled the string on the bag. Surprised, she looked at him.

"Do…we…know each other…?" she asked slowly, confused. She picked up the bag of dust and started for the exit.

"You're the woman I saw in my dreams right before I hatched last year," he explained, following her as she walked. She put the bag down and looked at him. She'd never met a dwarf before.

"You're _one_?" she questioned, surprised.

"I know, I look young for my age," he said lightly. She laughed a little, but her mood abruptly dropped as she heard gears grinding. She looked to see a lift carrying the dust away.

"Oh no!" she gasped. "The Fairy Dust!" She reached to try and catch it, but it was already too high. She started to panic as the bag was dropped onto a belt heading straight for the furnace. The dwarf ran and started climbing, catching the sack with his axe just in time. He brought it to her. And she sighed in relief, taking it from him.

"I'm an idiot…," she groaned. "All I ever wanted was to be a Fairy Godmother…it was my dream…but I can't even pick up Fairy Dust alone, I'm so clumsy…"

"No, you're not," he said. "I think you'd make a great Fairy Godmother."

"You really think so…?"

"I believe you can do anything you want, as long as you can dream it," he answered sincerely. She smiled a little.

"I'm Nova," she told him, holding out a hand. He slowly took it.

"I'm Dreamy," he replied.

"You know…Dreamy…as fairies, we get to spend very little time in your world and…I was thinking about…making a stop, on my way back. Have you ever been to see the fireflies?" she asked him. _What are you doing, Nova?! He's a Dwarf, and you're a fairy, you can't do this…_ , she chastised herself.

"I barely get out of the mines…," he answered.

"I heard it's beautiful. That they…they come out after sunset…on Firefly Hill. I was…going to see them, tonight…on my way back…," she said slowly.

"Sounds fun," he agreed, smiling. She smiled as well. "Have a good time!"

"Dreamy?" she asked as he turned to leave. She supposed he didn't understand that she'd been inviting him to join her. "Thanks…you're my hero…"

She turned and hurried off. It was probably best that he didn't understand what she'd meant. She was a fairy and he was a dwarf. If she let herself fall for him, she'd lose her wings and her dream of being a fairy godmother.

_Now…_

Lacey stepped away from the candle booth to finish up things with the transaction, thinking of what she could possibly get out of that blasted Mother Superior. She couldn't think of anything just yet, but she'd figure it out eventually. She saw Mr. Gold walking through the event, and rather than hide (as she normally would) she stayed were she was. He stared at her almost blankly but continued on his way.

With a smirk, she returned to the booth to find Leroy and Mary Margaret gone with several boxes of candles. She sighed and set to manning the booth. She sold almost a dozen over the course of the afternoon, partly by opening up her blouse a little and leaning seductively on the booth as she spoke to certain people. It wasn't the best way to sell candles, but it worked.

_Then…_

Belle sat in a bar, reading a book and drinking from a cup. It had been a month since Rumplestiltskin had turned her away. She saw a group of dwarves at a nearby table making merry. Then she heard one of the dwarves talking about just the sort of sickness she was all too familiar with: lovesickness.

"You don't have anything to worry about, Dwarves don't get sick. It must be in your head," another of the dwarves told the ailing one.

"It's not in his head, but in his heart," she said tiredly. "You're in love," she told the ailing dwarf when he looked at her.

"That's impossible," the other argued. "Dwarves can't fall in love."

"Trust me," she told him. "I know love and…you're in it." The other stood and left, while the one turned fully. She could see it all over him: the aura of a man in love.

"What's it like?"

"It's the most…wonderful and amazing thing in the world," she explained. "Love is hope, it fills our dreams…and if you're in it, you need to enjoy it. Because…love doesn't always last forever…"

"But if love is so great, why do I feel so bad right now?" he asked, leaning forward.

"You need to be with the person you love."

"Yeah, but…how do I know she feels the same way? All she talked about was going to see some fireflies…not loving me…"

"What did she tell you about these fireflies?" she questioned with a knowing smile.

"That she was gonna go see them on the hilltop, tonight…that she heard they were the most beautiful sight in all the land…" She laughed a little. "What?"

"She wasn't _telling_ you about the fireflies," she answered. "She was _inviting_ you to go be with her."

"You think so?"

"I've had my heart broken enough, to know when somebody's reaching out," she replied. He looked at his companions. "Now, go! Find your love. Find your hope. Find your _dreams_."

_Now…_

Astrid had dropped yet another thing. She was stooped to pick them up, barely catching in the corner of her eye that Mother Superior was talking to an unfamiliar face and getting rather annoyed. At least she wasn't cross with Astrid again.

"Sister Astrid?" she heard Leroy ask. She stood up and smiled, putting the nuts back.

"Hi…!"

"I have to talk to you…," he started, stepping closer. "See…I have some bad news…"

"Oh no…," she sighed, her heart dropping. As she'd thought, he wasn't able to sell the candles...she was doomed. "W-What is it…?"

"The bad news is that…," he paused. "That…that…you nuns are gonna be real busy making candles, because me, Mary Margaret, and Lacey just sold them all. You're not losing the convent, you're not goin' anywhere." She squealed happily and hugged him.

Lacey quirked an eyebrow at Leroy's lie, though she knew that he'd probably told the lie to keep from disappointing Astrid. She was still listening to the Mother Superior complain to her about the way she'd been selling candles. Just because she'd unbuttoned _two buttons_ and leaned just so on the booth, the blasted nun had to pitch a fit.

"At least I'm not using the candles sexually. I'm a bartender. I know how to sell things," she snapped at last. "And if you have a _problem_ with it, I'll just keep the money from those helium canisters." The nun fell silent and Lacey left, telling Mary Margaret that she had to go to work. She at least knew what favour she'd require of the Mother Superior in exchange for Lacey's help, but it would have to wait until after the curse was lifted.

_Then…_

Nova was standing on the hill, looking out sadly. There was just…something about Dreamy. She _wanted_ to see him, but he hadn't understood. Suddenly, she heard running and she jumped into hiding. Then Dreamy came to the hilltop. She came out.

"I didn't think you were gonna show up," she told him. He turned.

"I was afraid I was too late."

"Well, you did cut it pretty close," she joked, grinning. "Come on." She tugged him closer to the ridge.

"Wow…look at all those lights. Are _those_ the fireflies?" he questioned and she laughed.

"No! That's the village! And beyond that…the lights of all of the kingdom," she explained to him. He really didn't get out much, she guessed.

"Wow…you've seen a lot of this world, haven't you?"

"From a distance, yes…," she sighed.

"What's wrong with that?"

"Flying over the world…and being part of it aren't exactly the same thing…"

"Well, at least you've _seen_ the world. Me? I live in the mines, underground. All I ever see is diamonds and…dirt…and dwarves…," he sighed. "You know? We could see it _together_. Get a boat! Sail all over. Explore everything the world has to offer." She started to reply when the fireflies appeared.

"Oh! Look!" she gasped. _I want to kiss him_ , she thought. And after a moment, she did. "Okay!" she said when she broke away. "Let's do it! Tomorrow night, after I drop off the dust, let's meet back here. We'll run off together…see the world."

"Sounds like a dream come true…," he said, taking her hand. They smiled at each other and turned back to watch the fireflies.

_Now…_

Astrid hurried down to the docks with the pie. She knew it was wrong, but she just wanted to see him. She could say it was to thank him, for all the help, but she couldn't say her real reason. She got to a boat and called out to him.

"Hello?" He came out of the interior of the boat and she smiled.

"Astrid?"

"Mary Margaret said I might find you down here…I…I made you a pie…it's the least I could do, after all your help," she explained, handing him the pie. "Oh, this boat! It's great! It's gonna be…amazing when you get it out on the water. I can't even remember the last time I was—" she broke off as she saw something under a tarp. _It couldn't be…_ , she thought. "W-What's this…?" she moved to lift the tarp.

Sure enough…all of the candles he said he'd sold were hidden. "If you sold…all the candles…why are they still here, Leroy?" she asked, heartbroken.

"I didn't sell them all…I tried to, but nobody wanted to buy them from me…I was gonna tell you the truth, but I was afraid of…letting you down."

"So you lied…," her voice broke.

"I'm sorry Astrid…guess you believed in the wrong guy…"

She was holding back tears as she turned and walked away.

_Then…_

Belle watched the trail with a smile. The dwarf was following his dream, packed and ready to go. She was glad to have helped someone.

"You can't do this, Dreamy," the dwarf from the day before said, stopping him. "You can't go to her." Dreamy turned to face the other.

"Why not?"

"You have a responsibility. To mine the diamonds we make into Fairy Dust." Belle clenched her fists a little.

"But I love her."

"You're a _dwarf_ , Dreamy. We're not capable of love. It's not how we're _made_."

"But…what if I'm different? What if you're wrong?"

"Bossy's not wrong, young one," a female voice reverberated through the clearing. Belle could barely see a fairy, specifically the Blue Fairy, fly over. "What you feel…it's just a dream."

"Who are you?"

"I'm Nova's teacher. And if the two of you run away together, it will _not_ end well. Nova will lose her wings. But, if you return to the mines, and you allow Nova to become the fairy she was meant to be, the two of you will bring untold joy to the world. Nova can be a great fairy, if you let her."

 _So my mother didn't have that potential? You didn't try to stop_ her _from marrying my father_ , Belle thought sourly. That damn fairy only helped people when it would benefit her.

"The choice is yours."

_Now…_

Lacey was manning the booth at the festival. She'd barely sold another dozen candles. Then she saw Leroy and Mary Margaret on the roof by the transformers. She smiled a little. What a brilliant idea.

"Excuse me? I don't believe we've met," Mr. Gold said, drawing her attention.

"With good reason," she snapped.

_Then…_

Nova was waiting on the hilltop, giddy with excitement. She'd got the boat, loaded it with everything they'd need, and now she was just waiting for Dreamy to get there. In the back of her mind, she knew she was giving up a lot, including her wings and her magic, but she loved him. And she knew that love was a wonderful reason to give up all of that. Finally, he showed up and she met with him, pulling him to the edge.

"Dreamy, come on. I have to show you something." Something seemed off about him. He couldn't have been backing out?

"Nova…we need to talk…" She stopped him.

"No…you have to see this." She conjured a spy glass and handed it to him. "Take a look." She pointed as he raised the glass to his eye and looked towards the boat.

"It's amazing…"

"It has everything we need to explore the world! Supplies, maps of all the kingdoms…a sturdy sail…"

"Nova…," he started, turning to her. "I can't go with you." Her heart broke just then.

"But…what about our life together? Our dream…?"

"I'm a dwarf, Nova," he said. "I belong in the mines…and you belong with the other fairies. And that's never gonna change…"

"Dreamy…," she trailed off, holding back tears. She _knew_ it was too good to hope for, but she could try. " _You_ control what changes in your life. Never let yourself forget…you're _special_ …"

"Why? What makes us any different from any other dwarf and fairy out there?"

"Our love!" she insisted.

"I don't think it's love…it's a _dream_ , we need to put it away."

"But I don't _want_ to put it away!"

"I'm not your dream, Nova. You dream is to be a Fairy Godmother, and you can still be that…," he trailed off.

"You talked to the Blue Fairy," she accused him.

"Doesn't matter…"

"What did she say?"

"It doesn't matter."

"WHAT DID SHE SAY?!?!" she demanded, crying now.

"Nova! What matters is…I can't stand in the way of your happiness."

"But _you_ are my happiness!" she shouted. She saw a tear roll down his cheek. "I _love you_! Don't you love me?"

"I'm a dwarf…," his voice cracked a little. "I can't love…"

He walked away and Nova stood there in shock, crying. _How did things go so wrong?!_

Dreamy went to the mines, hoping to calm down.

"Where's my axe?" he asked, coming around the corner. "Where's my axe?" he asked again.

"Dreamy!" Sneezy said. "You're…," he paused to sneeze. "Back!" Bossy brought Dreamy his axe.

"Well, High ho boys!" Dreamy walked towards a space in the tunnel. "Good to have you back, Dreamy."

"No place I'd rather be," he lied. He started hitting the rock as hard as he could, hitting it harder and harder until his axe broke. "Bossy!" he demanded. "Hand me another axe!" A new axe was passed to him.

"Here ya are, Dreamy." A new name appeared on the handle of the axe when he grasped it.

"It's Grumpy now…," he growled before going back to hitting the stone. _Well, the axe never lies._

_Now…_

Before Gold could say anything else, Lacey saw Leroy hit the transformer with a pickaxe. The power went out and panic started.

"I think I'll take one of those candles," Gold sighed.

"Okay then," she said lightly, exchanging a candle for cash. Everyone started coming to the booth, but fortunately Leroy and Mary Margaret arrived to help her out. Within minutes, they were completely out of candles.

"We sold out!" Mary Margaret laughed. "Go on, give her the news…have your moment." Lacey handed Leroy the cash box and he walked towards Astrid. The two friends made sold out signs and put them up.

Emma was sitting in her office, staring at everything she'd found concerning Kathryn's disappearance. She hadn't told Mary Margaret about it yet, but it had already been twenty-four hours and not even a hint. She heard heels clacking on the floor and she looked up to see Regina approaching. She was reminded of the last time they'd been alone in Emma's office and she had to stop that train of thought.

"If this is about the blackout, I've already got the guys at the power company working on it."

"It's not," Regina answered. "It's been twenty-four hours since my friend Kathryn went missing. Have you found anything?"

"That's a big, fat no…nothing on her phone records…her boyfriend's alibi checks out…so does David's…," she trailed off, glancing at the flowers.

"Boyfriend?" Regina looked purely surprised.

"You didn't know? Kathryn was having an affair with a man named Andrew Glot. She was getting boxes to pack her things to move in with him when she went missing."

"I see…"

"So…anything else?"

"It's been a while, Emma, since we've been in a room alone," Regina noted.

"Yeah, and I intend to keep it that way, until…"

"Until…what?"

"Until I know what this is."

"I think it's simple," Regina said, reaching to touch Emma's hand. Surprised by the action, she jerked her hand back. "When two people are attracted to each other…things get…complicated."

"You're the one that's been sending the violets, right?" she questioned.

"That obvious? You know…they used to be quite popular with bisexuals and lesbians…a sort of secret code."

"I did some research."

"And you've been sending me bouquets too," the other noted. Emma blushed a little. It was true, she _had_ sent a couple of bouquets of violets. "Emma…I know you're busy, but maybe…," Regina trailed off, leaning in for a kiss. Emma sighed and met her halfway.


	15. Red-Handed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emma hires Ruby on Lacey's suggestion after the prior quit her job at Granny's Diner, their first case takes a turn for the worse very quickly. Meanwhile, Snow and Red meet for the first time and try to help Red's village with a wolf menace.

_Now…_

She'd done it again. How did every other encounter with the mayor end up with them having sex? Emma was starting to worry that there was something with Regina that she wasn't quite ready for yet. She wasn't ready to even _try_ to fall in love with anyone else. But yet, there she was…slowly, but surely, falling for her son's abusive, adopted mother.

She understood that Regina was probably just trying to protect Henry from stuff, but she also knew that it was hurting him. _Hell_ , she thought. _If the curse is a real thing…then I'm falling for the bad guy…_

Coming to her senses, Emma stood and got dressed. Regina followed suit. The blonde didn't look at her companion as she fiddled with her clothes. She had to put a stop to this.

"Regina…we can't keep doing this…," she sighed.

"Why? Because _Henry_ thinks that we're, what? Arch nemesis?"

"No," she argued. "Because the way you treat him isn't right…you try to make it seem like he's crazy…"

"I'm just trying to protect him…," Regina sighed.

"Well…you're doing it _wrong_. Making him feel crazy…keeping watch over every aspect of his life…that's not protecting…that's abuse. And if it weren't for the fact that it would hurt him worse…I'd try to take him away from you."

The other remained silent. She shook her head. "Just go…there can't be anything between us until you change how you take care of my son." She glanced at Regina to see her leave with a dejected expression. Shaking her head, she got to work on the case.

Ruby was awestruck. Neal had such an amazing life. But she…she was stuck in that stupid diner all the time.

"Wow…a whole year without a roof over your head," she said.

"Well, you get used to it. Plus I had the motorcycle. So if I didn't like a place, I could just leave," he told her.

"Ruby," her granny called.

"I've never even…been out of Storybrooke," she sighed. "What was your favorite place?"

"London," he answered. "There were some great people…beautiful architecture…it was just…really nice."

"Ruby!" Granny snapped.

"Just a sec!" Ruby bit. "Anywhere more exotic?"

"Well, there was a place I went to that was amazing. The entire city looked like it was made of diamonds," he said. "And some of the people had trained these…," he paused. "Lemur-like animals…to talk."

"What are lemurs?"

"They're little monkeys."

"Ruby! Stop flirting and get over here!" Granny shouted, knocking on the counter.

_Then…_

A knock came at Red's window. She knew it was Peter, but she had to mess with him. If she kept it down, Granny wouldn't notice if she opened the shutters.

"Who's there?" she asked in a small voice.

"Let me in," Peter whispered.

"I'm just a poor, old widow, spare me," she answered.

"Let me in or I'll…"

"Yes?"

"I'll…huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow the—" she laughed and opened the shutters, cutting him off.

"You'll huff and puff?"

"I couldn't think of nothin'…"

"Oh, so you thought you'd level the house with the power of your breath?" she joked, leaning on the sill. She leaned out and smelled his breath. "Well…a case could be made…" He made a noise and she shushed him. "Granny's in the other room. You know she doesn't like me opening the shutters."

"No, she doesn't like _me_ ," he corrected.

"That's what I meant…," she sighed. He was right, but she also knew that Granny was paranoid, especially during Wolf's Time.

"You've gotta get outta here…"

"I know…anywhere…"

"Well…a blacksmith's boy can get work all over…," he offered.

"You'd leave everyone you know…? You'd do that? For me?"

"I would do anything for you," he said firmly.

"Peter…watch out. Your air of danger is slipping," she joked, smiling.

"Come out…just for a minute…"

"It's already dark…," she said, seeing the moon rising. "She'd never let me…"

"Red?" Granny called from the next room. "Where are you? What're you doing?" Red turned to close the shutters and see what her grandmother wanted, but Peter grabbed her arm to stop her.

"Let go!" she hissed.

"Pay the price," he answered. "One kiss."

"Red! Get in here!" She looked towards the door, smiled, then leaned out to kiss him. She then pushed him back and closed her shutter, latching it. She then went to see what Granny wanted. The front door of the cottage was open and a group of men was standing on the other side of the threshold.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing that concerns you. Just a bunch of fools trying to get themselves killed over a few dead sheep," Granny bit.

"The wolf took over a dozen last night," the leader of the group explained.

"So you called me in here to…what? Just to keep…me in sight?" Ruby questioned, confused.

"Good evening, Red," the leader said. "We're just forming up a hunting party."

"You're hunting the wolf?" she asked, eyes wide with excitement. "Can I go with them, please? I'll be safe in a big group."

"Don't be ludicrous," Granny snapped. "You are staying inside. And you keep that hood on. You know red repels wolves."

"Well…they're not wearing red," she argued. Her grandmother's superstition about her red cloak was so annoying to her.

"They're damned fools, too. There's only two more nights left in Wolf's Time, let it take a few sheep. Now, go _home_!" Granny slammed and latched the door.

"I hope they kill the wolf…," Red muttered. "Then we can have lives again…"

" _You_ just wanna roam around the woods with that wastrel Peter," Granny accused.

"He is _not_ a wastrel! He works hard! He has plans…"

"Oh, I am _sure_ he does! Now, come on, you know what to do." With a sigh, Red helped Granny lock up the house, barring the door and locking the windows. "Now…," she said when they finished and Granny was about to settle in her rocker with her crossbow. "Go to sleep, Girl. Hope I don't see that boy mooning around here tomorrow. And wear the hood!"

"Yes, Granny…," she replied, going to her room and shutting the door. Of course, she took her hood off when she got ready for bed, and kept it off when she lay down.

_Now…_

Ruby stormed over to her grandmother. Of all the things that Granny had done and said, this was probably the most embarrassing.

"I can't believe you did that! That was humiliating!" she snapped at her.

"I want you to start working Saturday nights," Granny said. Her jaw dropped. _That_ was what Granny had been so annoying about?!

"Come on! We have an agreement about Saturday nights!"

"I wanna start training you to do the books…and the reorders. Business is booming lately, and with more money comes more paperwork."

"Yeah…none of that sounds good."

"It's gotta be done!"

"Is this a punishment?" she demanded. "For talking to that guy?"

"If I wanted to punish you, I'd have better reasons. For one thing, you were late. For another thing, _Eliza_ , you dress like a drag queen during Fleet Week."

"Well, _you_ dress like Norman Bates when _he_ dresses like Norman Bates' mother!"

"Ruby, you're a grown woman! You can't keep acting like some kid!"

" _You_ just want me to act like you until I _turn into_ you! Well, I am _not_ a fossil yet, Granny! I should be out there, having adventures with lemurs!"

"Well," Granny snapped, closing up her books. "As long as you work here, you are gonna listen to me."

"I didn't ask to work here!" she snapped, following from the one side of the counter as her grandmother went towards the register.

"Well, then what's keepin' ya?"

"Nothing! I quit!" she shouted, yanking off her apron and going outside. She slammed the door shut and ran home to pack.

_Then…_

Red woke up refreshed. She got out of bed and got dressed before heading out to check on her grandmother. Of course, the old woman was sitting wide awake in her rocker.

"Did you get any sleep last night?"

"I'll sleep with the trolls in the afterlife," Granny replied, putting her crossbow down. Red helped her up and they headed to remove the barricade from the door. "I'll get the shutters. You check if that wolf left the chickens alone."

"Yes, Granny," she answered as they lifted the wooden beam together. She started outside, hoping that the older woman wouldn't notice that she wasn't wearing her cloak. Unfortunately, she wasn't so lucky.

"Wear your hood!" Red sighed and went to put it on before grabbing a basket and going to check on the chickens. Everything seemed all right in the coop, but as she was leaving, she heard a noise. Startled, she turned on her heels and approached the sound. Suddenly, a young woman came out of hiding, holding an egg in each hand.

"I'm sorry! I can go," she said.

"Are you…stealing our eggs?" Red asked, surprised.

"No!" the stranger argued, then she looked at the eggs in her hands. "Not a lot…," she mumbled, holding them out to her.

"Hey, hey…," she said quickly. "It's…it's all right."

"Thank you…" The other pulled her hands back. "It was just that…um…last night…there was something out there…it was howling…and I heard it…and it was so cold…so…," she trailed off.

"Hey…come on," Red offered. "Come with me." She started for the door and the stranger followed her. "Everyone calls me Red," she said, turning back for a moment.

"I'm Sn—Frosty…?"

"Frosty? Really?"

"No…," she admitted. "It's just that…someone's looking for me, so…"

"You don't know, or trust, me yet…," she sighed. "Hey, I-I get it…I just need something to call you."

"Margaret…no…Mary…Mary…"

"Oh, well…then…Mary, come on," she said. Mary put the eggs in Red's basket and she led her to the well. "Just gotta bring some water before we go in…it'll just take a second."

"What _was_ all that howling?"

"It's Wolf's Time. Killer wolf out there. As big as a pony, but a lot more blood thirsty," she explained as they came to the well. Red put her basket on the ground by the well and grabbed the rope. "It's been stalking the area pretty regularly. Kills cattle mostly." She tugged on the rope, but it stuck. "Can't…hey, it sticks sometimes, could you…," she offered the rope to Mary.

Together, they pulled the bucket up, but the water was red. "Look…look at that…Mary!" she said. "Look at the water…Mary? Mary?" she turned to see that Mary was staring beyond the hill. She stepped towards her. "Mary?" she dropped the rope when she saw the scene. The water was red because there was probably blood flowing through the ground into the well from the slaughter in the snow.

_Now…_

Ruby was waiting at the bus stop with her bags, ignoring Dr. Whale as he tried flirting with her. She had no idea where she was gonna go, but she just needed to get out. She was steadily rebuffing his offers of a ride or help or whatever, when she saw Emma and Mary Margaret walking towards them.

 _Thank goodness…I was about to strangle him, or something_ , she thought.

"Dr. Whale?" Mary Margaret asked in surprise. The doctor turned his attention to the approaching women.

"Mary Margaret…hello there…I was just having a talk with…Ruby, here…but I should um…," he trailed off.

"Yeah," Emma said. "Yeah, you should." He nodded and hurried off.

"Was he bothering you?" Mary Margaret asked.

"The day I can't handle a lech is the day I leave town…," she scoffed. "Which…this is…I guess…"

"You're leaving?" Emma questioned her.

"Yeah…I had a fight with Granny…quit my job…"

"You _quit_?" Mary Margaret sounded surprised. "Where are you going?"

"I don't… _know_ …away…"

"Yeah, well…buses out of town don't really happen," the sheriff sighed. "And you might want a destination first…" Ruby nodded a little.

"Hey…if you need a place to figure things out…you could always come home with us?" Mary Margaret offered, looking at Emma.

"Uh…yeah…if it's…just for a little while…," she consented.

"Come on," Mary Margaret took Ruby by the arm and they headed to the apartment.

_Then…_

The three of them entered the town meeting a little late, catching the last of the speech. Red caught sight of Peter and met his eyes. She started towards him, but Granny stopped her.

" _Maybe_ , I could have slayed the creature!"

"You would not!" Granny said, stepping forward.

"Widow Lucas…"

"This creature is more powerful than you can imagine. You wouldn't have a chance! Stay inside! Hide your children. _Forget_ your livestock!"

"You've said all this before!"

"But I haven't said _how_ I know. Nearly three-score years ago, I was a child, with _six_ older brothers. Big as oak trees, all of them, veterans of the Second Ogres War! And my father? The biggest of them all. Come one Wolf's Time, he decided to go out and take on the wolf, a different wolf back then of course, but…just as fearsome. They went out there, to protect me. I was supposed to be asleep, but I crawled out on the rooftop to watch, and lay down in the thatch. They had the beast surrounded. The seven of them with spears all pointed at it. Then, it started. It was lunging, not at the men, at the _spears_ , grabbing with its teeth, snapping them in half. They stabbed at it with the splintered ends, but it didn't matter. It tore through their throats so _fast_ that not a one of them got a chance to _scream_ …or pray…or say goodbye…"

Granny paused and Red exchanged worried glances with Mary. "When my father died," Granny continued. "I tumbled from the roof, and I landed in the blood, in front of the wolf. I could feel its breath on my face. And it clamped its hot jaw," she said, yanking her glove off and unbuttoning her sleeve. "On my arm, and _I_ rolled away. Then, it looked at me with eyes, so black they weren't even there…then it walked away."

Granny lowered her scarred arm. "You ever see a wild animal turn its back and walk away like you don't matter? If this wolf is like that one, there is _no_ defeating it! It's already won, just by existing in our world. You don't kill it, you just hide…"

Snow was in shock as they returned to the Lucas' cottage. Red's grandmother was intense…and with a good reason…what a horrible thing to experience as a child. She and Red went to the bedroom and sat on the bed when they arrived at the cottage.

"So…your granny's kind of intense…," she said.

"Yeah…a bit…," Red agreed. "I feel like a rat in a trap…"

"Is this trap keeping you from…being with someone?" she guessed, seeing Red's nervous glance towards the front room, where her grandmother was sitting in the rocker, knitting.

"How did you know?"

"Well," she said lightly. "I saw some looks exchanged back there, and I hate to break it to you, but it _wasn't_ subtle!"

"Yes…," Red giggled. "Peter. We've been friends for forever, but…now things…are…well…changing."

"That must be nice…," she said, a little jealous.

"Do you have someone?"

"Oh, no…no, I'm not sure that's in my future…you're lucky, Red…"

"I know…and we're talking about going away together. But I…don't even get any time with him…Granny's too afraid of the wolf to let me out alone…you saw what the wolf did…sometimes I wonder if she's right…"

"Oh…," she sighed. "She's…right about the wolf…but she's…wrong to use it to keep you from love…"

"You think that's what she's doing?" Snow sighed a little at the question, unsure how to answer. "Well…let's _kill_ the wolf!"

"A-A…Hang on!"

"We'd be heroes!"

"Red… _teams_ of trained hunters have been killed!"

"But they go at night, when _it's_ got the advantage! If we went _now_ , we could find it slumbering in its den, and kill it in its sleep."

"Red…I don't know…"

"I'm going. With, or without, you. But you're right…I can't let her keep me trapped forever…," Red grabbed her cloak and got off the bed. Snow sat there, dumbfounded, for a moment.

_Now…_

Emma found three sets of fingerprints inside Kathryn's car. Two sets belonged; one was Kathryn's while the other belonged to David. It was reasonable that he would have been in her car, being her husband. But the third set…those baffled her. They didn't belong to the third person that she figured would have been in the car, but to _Sidney Glass_.

Was Kathryn's disappearance just some elaborate ploy of his to regain favour without breaking his parole again? She decided to wait it out and see what else she could find. A light knock came at her office door and she looked up.

"Lacey…what are you doing here?"

"I brought you a bearclaw, Mary Margaret said that you like them," she held up a box.

"Thanks…," she said, taking the box. "Is something wrong?"

"Not really…I noticed that Ruby wasn't at the diner…"

"Oh, she quit her job."

"That explains it. You know…maybe you could hire her? She'd do really well, answering non-emergency calls…maybe help out with this disappearance? Speaking of…any leads?"

"Maybe…but I'm not sure what it means yet…"

"Oh, well, good luck."

"Hey, Lacey?" she looked at the other.

"Hm?"

"N-Never mind…thanks for the Bearclaw."

_Then…_

Snow was having some trouble with tracking. Of course, she'd never done it before, so she didn't know what to look for. But she didn't want to rely on Red when she'd come along to help. She spotted some tracks and went to them.

"What about these?"

"That's a dog…see how small that is?" Red explained. "Don't look where the snow's drifted, it covers tracks." Snow nodded and continued on, looking at the ground. She spotted another set.

"Hey…over here…"

"That…is a rabbit. What we're looking for will be _huge_. Like a dog print, but big…like…eight inches across with big, long claws…," Red described as Snow continued. She spotted a pair of prints, but there were only two of them.

"Like these…?"

"Yes…," Red answered. "And those…oh my gods…how big is this thing?" Snow looked to the faraway second set.

"This was one stride…? From here…to there…?"

"Come on…over there…through the brush and up towards the hill." Red went ahead at a quick pace.

"You're good at this…"

"When there's something I want…I'm good at tracking it down…" They continued following the tracks.

_Now…_

Ruby sighed a little as Henry tried to help her find a new job. Literally nothing sounded like anything she could actually do. The only thing she knew how to do in the first place was wait tables.

"Wanna be a bike messenger?" he suggested.

"What's a bike messenger?"

"That's about taking things to people in a little basket…," he explained.

"Nope…see…I'm not so good at bike riding…"

"How about…taking things on _foot_ to people in a little basket?"

"I'm not sure that's a real job…," she sighed. Henry looked back at the computer screen. The phone rang, yet again. "Why do the phones keep doing that?"

"Oh…the non-emergency calls go to a…machine when Emma's busy," he told her. Ruby grinned and answered the phone.

"Sheriff's Station, how can I help you?" She paused, listening to the person on the other end. "Sure." She switched lines when it rang again.

"Sheriff?" Miss Ginger asked before she could say anything.

"Hey, Miss Ginger."

"Ruby? I think there's a prowler in my neighbourhood!"

"That's not a prowler…that's…Archie's dog…Pongo?"

"What do I do to end that noise then?!"

"Throw him a vanilla wafer, he'll quiet down." She paused. "Did you…still wanna talk to Emma?"

"No…thank you, Ruby."

"Great! Glad I could help," she said, hanging up.

"How's it goin', you two?" Emma asked behind her. Both Ruby and Henry turned to face her.

"Great…except I can't _do_ anything…," Ruby answered dejectedly.

"I'm sure that's not true," Emma argued. "I just saw you on the phone, that was good."

"That? That's…nothing…"

"No!" Emma snapped and Ruby sighed heavily. Whatever Emma wanted to say, she wasn't good at _anything_ , so there wasn't a point to the conversation. "No, that isn't! I…actually have some money in the budget. If you wanna help out around here."

"Yes!" she gasped, standing up. "Thank you! Yes…um…I could answer phones…help out…um…is there anything else? Files you need organized? Clean up…? Please, I wanna be useful."

"I'm…," Emma paused. "Kinda swamped with the Kathryn Nolan case…if you wanna grab us lunch? I would never say no to a grilled cheese."

"Done!" she replied, moving to grab her purse. "You want anything?" she asked Henry.

"Um…two chocolate chip cookies, half a pie…and a hot dog!"

"He ate at school," Emma told her as a way of saying to ignore the request. Ruby started for the door as Emma went into her office. Mary Margaret came in as she was heading out.

"Hey! Want some lunch, Mary Margaret? I'm getting for everyone!" she offered.

"Uh…no, I'm not…hungry…," Mary Margaret answered. Ruby nodded a little and hurried out.

Emma stepped out of the office to greet Mary Margaret, but she was surprised by the look on her roommate's face. She folded her arms, about to mention in passing about Sidney's prints in the car, but then she remembered that Henry was there and Sidney might have at some point planted a bug somewhere she hadn't searched in the office. She was being careful about the case, because her gut was telling her it was about to turn into a frame-job. And that car might be the only place he slipped up in the hurry to grab her before witnesses appeared.

"David's in the woods…," Mary Margaret said. "There's something wrong with him…he looked right through me. It's like…it's like he was a different person…"

Shocked, Emma glanced at Henry, knowing what he was probably thinking. That David was a weak link in the curse because he was in a coma until shortly after Emma had come to town, and that he was going back and forth between being David Nolan and Prince Charming.

_Then…_

Red was starting to get worried. They were heading towards her home as they followed the wolf tracks. Besides the fact that the wolf was a _lot_ bigger than she'd originally thought, she was terrified. If this thing was as smart as Granny said, and it was hiding near the cottage…things could go _really_ badly.

"Here's another one…" Mary said.

"Right. And then here's…," she trailed off, looking at the next pair of prints.

"What?" Mary asked, coming up from behind to look.

" _These_ prints look like they're…half wolf…and half boot…see?"

"Wolves don't wear boots…"

"No…they don't…"

"And it just continues…like it was a man…," Mary added as they followed the rest of the tracks with their eyes.

"Like it was a man…and…a-a wolf…"

"Red…what kind of monster is this…?" She had no answer, only followed the tracks.

"So…"

"Yeah?"

"Wolf's Time is once a month…on the full moon…," she started. "There's a story I heard once, about a creature that—"

"Hey!" Mary cut her off. "Are we awfully close to the cottage…?" She'd noticed a long time before, but they _were_ getting closer and closer…almost as if the wolf-man had gone to her home after transforming back. They came out of the trees and the cottage came into full view with the tracks leading right up to Red's window. "Who's gone to your window Red…?"

It had to have been Peter. He was the only one that came to her window. But at the back of her mind, she wondered if _she herself_ was the wolf. "Is it Peter…?" Mary asked. "Red…has he been at your window?"

"Last night…," she answered. "Before the killings…and he never joined the guys to hunt the wolf…!"

"But…I-I'm sure he wouldn't have killed them."

" _He_ wouldn't! But…when the wolf takes over…"

"What about tonight's hunting party?"

"They're gonna kill him! Or…he's gonna kill _them_ …"

"It doesn't have to be that way!"

"What can _we_ do?"

"Tell him!" Mary replied, turning to grasp Red's arms. She was still in shock about this. It was either Peter…or Red herself. Either way, it was the worst situation. "If he doesn't know, tell him. Stop him. If he'll listen to anyone, if he'll _believe_ anyone, it's _you_."

"You think I can save him…?"

"I think you can save _everyone_ …"

"It's gonna be dark soon…Granny will be out of her mind with worry if we're not home soon. She'll go out there! Mary this is so bad…" Tears were rolling down her cheeks.

"So _do something_!"

"You're right…I have to…"

_Now…_

Ruby went into the diner and gave Granny her order, getting a little cocky as she talked about her new job at the station. Of course, Granny always knew _just_ what to say to ruin her mood, reminding her that fetching food is what she'd always done. She retorted with a lame comeback to everything her grandmother said, holding back frustrated tears. Maybe it was just because it was the first thing that Emma had thought of when she'd asked for something to do.

Surely she could be more useful around the station. As she took the food and headed back, she tried to think of things she could do.

_Then…_

Red took Peter far out of town and they set up a campfire. She sat with him on a log and told him what she and Mary had found while tracking the wolf. She also told him that it was probably him that was the wolf. She couldn't bear to even consider that _she_ might be the wolf.

"You think this wolfman…is me?" he asked her when she finished explaining. "You know me…"

"I know it's not you really…but I think it's using your body…"

"Wouldn't I know?" he rationalized. "Wouldn't I wake up in the woods? Wouldn't I remember something?"

"Maybe…maybe it makes you forget…"

"My gods…," he muttered, realization sinking in. "Those men died…if _I_ did that…"

"Forget the past…," she said, stopping him. "Think of the future. We can go now, Peter! Have lives…all we need to do is…tie you up when it's Wolf's Time…and…I know where to get rope…"

"No…," he sighed and her face fell. "Not rope…" He reached down and picked up a length of chain.

"Chains…?"

"Just in case…just in case you're right. I'll show you how to rig it up so I can't get out…and then you need to get away from me."

"No…," she argued. "I'm staying with you. I'll stay with you all night…and all the nights to come…"

"You'd do that for me?"

"I'd do anything for you." She hugged him.

_Now…_

Emma watched as Henry put the storybook in its drawer. She locked everything on the Kathryn case in a drawer, making sure the security cameras couldn't catch _which_ drawer she was using. She was pretty sure that if Sidney was trying to pull together some sort of frame-job with this, he'd try and destroy evidence linking him to the case. If he was even sane enough to think of covering his tracks, at least.

"Okay, Kid," she sighed, tossing Henry the key. "I don't mean to kick you out, but…I've gotta go make sure David's not in some kind of trouble out there…"

"It's okay, I'm supposed to go meet my mom…," he replied, locking the drawer and handing her back the keys. "There…"

"Nice."

"You know…," Henry said as he started to leave. "You can let Ruby do more. She's…Little Red Riding Hood."

"With the little basket?" she laughed a little. "Yeah…she seems like a badass…"

"She _is_ , she just…doesn't remember how cool she is or…what she's capable of. But it's true." He went to leave. "Hey Ruby."

"Hey…," the girl sighed as she came in. "Here's your grilled cheese…," she muttered, handing the bag to Emma.

"Thank you…," she said, opening the bag to pull out her lunch. She looked at Ruby to see how depressed she was looking. "You all right?"

"I guess…I mean…this is something I _know_ how to do…so…yay…" She took a sip from her drink. Emma sighed and put her sandwich back in the bag.

"Okay!" she decided. "Let's pack these back up and…we can eat them in the car. I need to do a little wilderness search. And I need your help," she said, taking the cup from Ruby's hands and putting it back in the holder.

"I'm pretty sure I'm just gonna screw it up," Ruby protested. "I might…screw it up with flare…but…"

"No, you won't," she argued, picking their lunch up and handing it to her. "Come on. You can do this."

Ruby was worried, but she went along with it. They ate in the cruiser on the way to the trail head. How were they gonna find anyone, or anything, in such a giant forest?

"This place is massive…how are we supposed to find _one guy_?" she asked as they followed the trail along the path. Emma shushed her.

"We might be able to hear him!"

"It's massive!"

"I'm following the path, because there are boot prints, so just…stay close…"

"I shouldn't even be here…I'll just…screw everything up…," she muttered. But then she froze. "Oh, wait!" Emma walked right into her and they nearly fell over.

"Ruby—"

"I hear him!" she gasped. And she really did. Somehow, she could hear David nearby.

"Really?" Emma asked, surprised.

"Yeah, really. I hear him or…something. I know where he is. Don't you?" She broke into a run, following her instincts.

"No?" Emma muttered as Ruby ducked under a branch. "What are you doing?"

"He's over here!" she shouted back, spotting his feet. She went around the tree he was behind. Fortunately, he was breathing.

"Ruby! Ruby?" She saw Emma come around the bend. "David?" the sheriff gasped and ran to revive him. "Oh god…come on. David! Wake up! Come on…David, wake up!" He came to and blinked at them.

"Emma…Ruby?"

"Do you remember where you are?" Emma asked, helping him to sit up slowly.

"No, I…what the hell? I was…I was in your office with Andrew and…did you bring me here?" he rattled off in confusion.

"You…don't remember anything since you were in my office…yesterday?"

"No…"

 _Okay, what the hell is going on?_ Ruby wondered.

Emma dropped Ruby off at the station after helping David to the cruiser. She then took him to the hospital and asked Dr. Whale to check him out. It felt like forever, as Emma paced the ward during the exam. First the mystery finger prints…then David blacking out? Things just kept getting stranger. And everyone not aware of Kathryn's affair would say that David was a suspect in her disappearance. Finally, she went to discuss things with the doctor.

"Well…he's bruised…scratched up, a little dehydrated, what did you expect?" Whale asked.

"He's got a cut on his head…," she sighed.

"It's superficial," he replied. "I can refer him to Dr. Hopper for a mental health eval., but it's _my_ opinion…that whatever caused this blackout was the same phenomenon we observed when he came out of his coma. Moving around, acting out…not remembering it later…"

"We will figure it out…," she told David. She had more pressing matters to deal with, but if David was blacking out, she needed to make absolutely sure that he wasn't somehow involved with Kathryn's disappearance, just to be safe. She _knew_ he didn't have anything to do with it. He had witnesses that verified his alibi, but the cheating husband was always the first suspect to the public.

"It's so strange…I can't even believe it happened…," he sighed.

"How…functional could he be during one of these episodes?" she questioned, pressing Whale for answers. "I mean, he…talked to someone…"

"Well, people in similar states, even under sleep medication, do all sorts of things…," the doctor explained. "Cooking…talking…driving a car…"

"You wanna know if I could have done something to Kathryn…," David guessed, starting to freak out.

"Take it easy there…"

"No one's saying you did anything, David. I just have to keep loose ends tied with this case…," she told him.

"No, but it would explain why it would seem like I wasn't lying!" he said, throwing the blame onto himself. "I wouldn't _know_!"

"Stop talking, David," Regina said sharply, walking through the ward to join them. _Crap…_ , Emma thought sourly. "What are you doing here? _Why_ doesn't this man have a lawyer present? Have you even read him his rights?"

"No, because he's not under arrest. We're just talking," Emma defended. David was her best friend's boyfriend, of course she was going to be worried. _And if Henry's right…he's my dad_ , she thought. "Besides, there are four people that confirmed what he was doing when Kathryn disappeared. I'm only making sure there aren't any gaps in the case."

"Right…just talking…," Regina snapped, her tone accusatory.

"Why are you even here?"

"Mayor Mills is still David's emergency contact," Whale explained.

"I thought that…changed to Kathryn…," David muttered.

"Well, Kathryn's not available right now," Regina snapped. " _Some people_ haven't found her yet."

"There's a lot of Maine to cover, Regina."

"Well, you covered this room. I suggest you branch out," the other said, leaning closer. _Oh if we weren't in public, I'd…_ , she stopped her line of thinking. What _would_ she do if they weren't in public? With a tired sigh, she turned and started to leave. She had to make for absolutely certain that David couldn't be implicated in this. She knew his alibi was iron clad, but the full situation between the Nolans and their lovers was a private matter, so people would still assume he had motive.

Ruby was sitting at a desk, reorganizing the computer files. She wanted to be useful, so she was writing down what she was putting where. She was just about to start scanning closed case files into the computer, since that was on one of Emma's to-do lists, when the phone started ringing. She picked it up and started with the greeting.

"Ruby, stop," Emma told her halfway through. "Here's the thing," she said seriously. Ruby was already getting a little worried with the tone. "The last time David went on a dream-walk, he went to the Toll Bridge, you know the one? It's a crazy hunch, but I want you to take my bug…and go and see if he was there."

"No…I-I…I could get somebody else to…," she started. She'd managed with finding him in the first place, but she most definitely would screw this one up. The find hadn't really boosted her confidence much. She knew how to wait tables and be sexy, but that was about the limit of her skills.

"Ruby, you were _great_ out there. I still don't know how you found him. You can do this," Emma encouraged her.

"I don't know…," she argued.

"It's gonna be dark out, soon. David's gonna be let out. If there's something out there, we've gotta get there first. We don't have time to argue. _Can_ you do this?"

"Yes…," she answered after a long moment of deliberation. She then hung up and grabbed the keys to Emma's bug from the desk drawer. She drove out to the old Toll bridge with Emma on her cell. She got out of the car. "I mean…what am I even looking for?"

"Anything…out of the ordinary. Something that doesn't belong there," Emma answered and she caught sight of a cut sheet of plywood on the bank. She went down the hill to it. It didn't look like it had been there for long, and that worried her.

"And…if I find something…?" she questioned, approaching it.

"Just follow your instincts." She put the call on speaker and set her phone on a rock as she bent to move the board. Under it, the dirt looked like it had recently been dug up. She grabbed a stick, breath shaking, and started digging. Less than an inch down, the stick hit something hard. She uncovered it.

It almost looked like a jewelry box. Maybe it was just a memory box that someone had buried to keep a secret? God she hoped that was the case and that all she'd find was love letters or even a few scandalous pictures.

"You…," she said shakily as she pulled the box out. "Can't give me…a clue to what I'm looking for…?"

"Anything of Kathryn's…" She didn't think this was Kathryn's box, but she remained silent. "Ruby? What's going on? Did you find something?"

 _I really hope not!_ She thought frantically as she brushed some of the dirt off of the box. Slowly, she opened it. The moment she saw what was inside, she screamed and dropped the box.

"Ruby?! Ruby!" Emma shouted. Ruby couldn't answer for the sheer horror of it.

_Then…_

Snow was laying in Red's bed with the red cloak covering her. The door opened and she flinched a little.

"Where's Mary?" Granny asked her, thinking she was Red. "Come on, Girl, wake up. We best bar the door. If Mary's not back by now, she'll have to take her chances." She pulled the hood over her face as the older woman approached. Finally, Granny grabbed her shoulder and forced her to turn, gasping sharply when she realized the deception.

"She's in no danger," she said quickly.

"What have you done?"

"No, it's okay, it's all right, it's _fine_!"

"Where is she?!"

"She's…well…she's with Peter, and I know you don't like him, but that's really beside the point…," she trailed off.

"Stupid, careless, ridiculous _girl_!"

"No!" she argued. "You don't understand! Peter isn't…oh…this is going to be difficult to accept…you just have to trust me! He's the wolf…"

"You think _Peter_ is the wolf?"

"Yes. This _terrible_ creature…is _also_ human! It's okay though! He won't hurt her, she's got him tied up!"

"He's tied up?" Granny gasped. Snow nodded a little and the older woman turned. "Oh, that poor boy…" Granny ran to get her crossbow and Snow followed, confused. Did Granny know something the girls didn't?

_Now…_

Emma was in shock. She'd hoped not to find anything at the bridge. And no matter what she'd thought Sidney might put there in order to frame David, she hadn't expected _this_.

"Is…is that what I think it is…?" Ruby asked, close to tears. Of course it had traumatized her.

"Yeah…," she answered.

"I can't look…" She looked at Ruby, who was turning around and looking sick to her stomach. With a sigh, she grabbed a glove and nudged the box shut before turning to Ruby.

"You okay?"

"I don't know what I am…"

"It's gonna be all right. We can figure out what happened now," she encouraged as Ruby sat heavily on a desk. "Ruby…you did good."

"… _This_ is doing good?" the younger woman questioned bitterly.

"Yeah…it's amazing! First you found David, and now this? I know you say you don't know what you are, but whatever it is…I gotta say, I'm impressed."

"Don't be…I'm…," Ruby paused, though she was smiling at the praise. "I'm scared out of my mind…"

"But you did it anyway."

_Then…_

Red must have fallen asleep. She woke up covered in her red cloak. Mary and Granny were in front of her, helping her up. Her shoulder hurt something fierce.

"It's too late…he's gone…," she heard Mary say before they started pulling at her.

"Who's gone…?" she asked blearily, unable to clear her head.

"Get up, Girl," Granny commanded. "Get ready to _run_!"

"What's going on…?" she wasn't keeping up with them as they hurried to get her to her feet.

"Come on, Red!"

"Don't you hear them?" She could hear the hunting party approaching.

"We have to go!"

"Go? I don't understand…"

"I'll explain later! We must hurry!"

"What? I'm confused…what's happening?" She turned around, her mind clearing slowly. She saw blood in the snow. "Where's Peter?!" She looked at the other two, realizing what she should have been brave enough to consider.

"He wasn't the wolf…," Mary sighed. She looked at her Granny, the paranoia and control suddenly making sense. She knew the truth the whole time.

"Granny…?"

"I was wrong to keep it from you. But now you have to go. Red, _go_!"

" _Me_? Oh gods…," realization struck her and she nearly fell to her knees. "It's me…" _I should have known!_

"Red, go!"

"No…not like this…"

"You have to!" Granny insisted. Red started blubbering, falling into her grandmother. Mary helped her straighten up.

"It's okay!"

"There's no time!"

"I know, I'll get her out of here!" Mary pulled her into the trees.

_Now…_

Ruby reconciled with Granny and started working at the Diner again. She realized that she was better off at the Diner. She felt she could manage and live up to her grandmother's expectations. She could do things besides wait tables, but she figured that she actually liked waiting tables, and maybe even eventually taking over. For the first time ever, she felt proud of herself.

Emma was in shock. The prints inside the box were a quick match. To Mary Margaret. Now…as much as she hated to do it…she had to find her roommate and do it. It was impossible that Mary Margaret had done anything to Kathryn. She had no motive and no opportunity (her roommate's alibi was even stronger than the two men's) to harm the woman.

It felt like a hack job done by someone without enough experience to do things right, but she had to follow the evidence for the moment.


	16. Heart of Darkness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Snow White, having taken a potion, decides to end things by assassinating the Evil Queen. Meanwhile, the ongoing investigation to find Kathryn gets Mary Margaret arrested.

_Then…_

Red was sitting by the fire as she and James let the horse rest. Unfortunately for them, King George wasn't so compassionate towards his beasts. A flaming arrow started to drop from the sky and James pushed her out of its trajectory. While the weapon would have hurt from the fire, she knew it wouldn't do much damage to her since it wasn't silver tipped (one of the benefits to being a wolf).

"Red, look out!" he shouted as he did so. "We need to move. They found us."

"Go," she told him standing up. "I'll take care of them." He mounted the horse.

"Red, I'm not leaving you!" he said as he offered his hand to her.

"Find Snow," she argued. "That's all that matters. Find her!"

"What are you gonna do?" She looked at the sky, though it didn't matter, and started to remove her cloak.

"I'm giving you a head start." He nodded and rode off. She dropped her cloak and started running towards the advancing soldiers. She transformed into a wolf and attacked them.

_Now…_

Emma sighed tiredly as she booked Mary Margaret, starting with pictures.

"Please turn to the right," she said, snapping pictures.

"Emma, this is a mistake," her roommate argued. "I didn't kill Kathryn."

"Of course you didn't. But while I _am_ your friend, I'm also the sheriff. And I have to go where the evidence leads."

"Which points to me? Emma, yesterday, it was David. There's something not right here."

"I know," she sighed. "But your fingerprints were on that box, and his are not…so now we have to deal with…this." She shook the polaroids out to emphasize the situation.

"Evidence that says I cut out Kathryn's heart and buried it in the woods? This is insane…"

"If I _don't_ book you, will all this evidence, it's gonna look like favouritism. And then Regina will have cause, and she'll fire me. Then you know what she'll do? She'll bring in someone who _will_ railroad you. So please…just try to be patient and trust me. We can't even move forward 'till we verify the heart belonged to Kathryn, and I'm still waiting for the DNA results. But…in the meantime, you need to bear with me…I have to ask you a few questions…" She gently pulled her friend to the interrogation room.

"This is crazy. I would never hurt anyone…"

_Then…_

Snow White was rather content. After drinking that potion, she felt so much better. She couldn't even remember what she'd been so heartsick about in the first place. She was sweeping the dwarves' cottage and humming. A bluebird flew in through the window.

 _Disgusting…_ , she thought, holding out a hand for it to fly to her. It did and she set it on the table before trying to hit it with her broom. Unfortunately, it flew away. She growled and went after it, trying to get it.

"Snow?" Grumpy asked, coming into the room. "What are you…," he started as she turned to him, glaring. "What are you doing?"

"Getting rid of the vermin in this house," she bit, going after the bird again. It escaped out the window and she growled after it. "What do _you_ want?" she asked through clenched teeth, turning to him.

"It's dinner time."

"I'm not hungry," she snapped, closing the window. He crossed to her.

"Come on. We made something extra special tonight." He pulled her into the dining area, where the six other dwarves were chatting. She shrugged when they stopped to stare at her.

"Somebody die?" she asked sarcastically.

"Snow, why don't you have a seat?" someone asked and she saw that it was a _grasshopper_. She shouted and hit it.

"Why is there a dirty cricket in here?!" She shouted.

"Uh…uh, my name is Jiminy, and your friends have asked me to be here tonight," the cricket said, landing on a chair. "They're concerned about you and they have some things they'd like to say. Grumpy, why don't you start?"

"Snow White," he started, pulling a piece of paper out and reading from it. "You've changed. You've become angry, irritable, and downright mean."

"Changed?" she questioned him. "And who are _you_ to tell me I've changed?" _Your name is_ Grumpy _; you don't have a right to tell me that_ I'm _mean._

"Snow," the cricket sighed. "Please, these are your friends, and we're all here because we... we care about you. Who wants to go next?" Sneezy stood.

"Uh…," he started. "You brought bales of...," he paused, holding back a sneeze. Snow rolled her eyes. "Straw into the house last night even though you know that I'm a...Ah...Ah...," he sneezed loudly. "Allergic…"

"You are allergic to everything!" she snapped. _And you're damn lucky you're only allergic and not contagiously sick!_

"You broke my mug!" Happy snapped, standing up. She rolled her eyes.

"You're _lucky_ it wasn't that mug you call a face!" she retorted. _Your nose takes up half your hideous face, I should just punch you and reshape it._

"You are the worst, most nasty, horrible..."

"Enough!" Grumpy interrupted. "Look what you're doing to Happy. That potion you took...the one that erased the Prince from your mind...you haven't been the same since you drank it."

"That helped me _forget_ whatever or whomever I _needed_ to forget, and I am clearly better off for it," she bit. "That potion was the solution, _not_ the problem. The problem is that I'm living here, in a house full of dwarves instead of in my palace, with my father, as a princess, but I can't do that anymore, can I? Because he was murdered, murdered by the same woman who sent a huntsman to kill me!"

"Snow, your anger towards the Queen is understandable," Jiminy sighed. "It's just not fair to take it out on your friends."

"You're right," she decided. "I should be taking it out on her."

"Oh, wait!" Jiminy protested. "Revenge is not the answer. No, it's gonna change you. It'll turn you into something darker than you can imagine. You don't want to go there." She rolled her eyes and put a jar over him to shut him up.

"Good news, fellas," she said brightly. "You can _quit_ your complaining because I’m leaving. I have more important things to do." She turned to go to the other room to change clothes.

"Wait," Jiminy called from the jar. She ignored him. "Don't go!"

"Snow," Grumpy snapped, following her. "Wait. Where are you going?" She smirked and picked up an axe, testing the weight of it in her hand.

"To kill the Queen."

_Now…_

Regina sighed a little. The fact that both Kathryn and David were having affairs took away whatever motive either David or Mary Margaret might have had. And, for once, Regina had nothing to do with this situation. Honestly, she felt sorry for Mary Margaret at this point. She waited in the interrogation room, contemplating how she really felt about this.

It was certain that the curse was slowly weakening, and Emma was certainly the source of that. _Speaking of…_ , she thought as the door opened and the pair came into the room. Standing next to each other, Regina could honestly believe that they were mother and daughter. Somehow, it wasn't surprising that Henry was technically Snow White's grandson. His unending optimism and determination to take away any shred of Regina's happiness that he could was most certainly shared with one of Snow's worst qualities.

"Hello, Miss Blanchard," she greeted.

"What is she doing here?" Mary Margaret demanded. Ah, she'd realized that many things that Regina did were to torment her. If it didn't feel wonderful to have the woman suffer from not knowing just why she was the object of Regina's hatred, she would have put that into Snow's cursed history.

"She asked to be here," Emma explained. "As a third party, to make sure that I stay impartial. It can only help you…" The pair sat down.

"I have nothing to hide," she replied. And of course, it was true. "Ask me anything." Emma nodded and switched on the tape recorder.

"The heart was found buried near the old Troll Bridge," the blonde started. "It had been cut out by what appears to be a hunting knife. Have you ever been to that bridge before?"

"Yes," the other answered. "Many time. It's where David and I liked to meet."

"Mr. Nolan?"

"Yes."

"And you met there for what purpose?" Emma asked stiffly as she moved to put on a pair of gloves before pulling out the box.

"We were having an affair. I'm not proud of what happened, but we were all four of us working out a solution. I didn't kill Kathryn."

"The four of you?" Regina piped in. Emma had told her in private about it, but she knew that Emma only told her to sate her curiosity. And it was probably best that no one knew of the mayor's strange relationship with the sheriff at that point.

"Yes, the four of us. Kathryn was having an affair as well. I think…didn't you already talk to Andrew, Sheriff Swan?" Mary Margaret asked as Emma put the box on the table in front of her. That was interesting, that Mary Margaret would refer to her roommate by title even in an interrogation.

"I did. I've already taken his statement. Have you ever seen this box before?"

"Yes, that's…my jewelry box…"

"That's what we found the heart in," Emma sighed. Regina watched as Mary Margaret's expression turned to pure shock.

"Don't you see what's happening here? Someone stole that box and put the heart in it. I didn't have anything to do with it! I'm innocent."

"Well, have you noticed it missing?" Regina asked, unable to stop herself.

"I… _did_ , actually. I was packing before we found out about Kathryn going missing. It wasn't on the shelf when I went to put it in a box."

Well, that explained a lot. She glanced at Emma, who looked confused. Regina hadn't been in their apartment using her skeleton keys, so who _had_? The only other people that might have a matching key to their apartment would be anyone sharing the building with them. Or…if the key had been stolen from her office…only two people besides Regina knew about the skeleton keys.

_Then…_

Snow set up a trap and waited, hearing a knight approaching. She looked to see him heading straight for her and she moved to pull the rope to knock him off the horse. Of course, it worked. She walked over to him as he caught his breath. With a sadistic grin, she rammed the pick axe handle into his ankle.

"It'll heal," she said in response to his shout of pain. "Eventually."

"What do you want?" he growled.

"Information. Where's the Queen?"

"Why would I tell you?" She sighed tiredly and crouched.

"Do you know what a diamond is? It's the strongest substance known to man, or beast," she explained. "Beautiful…precious…nearly impervious to destruction. _Nearly_." She stood, running her thumb along the flat side of the blade. "This is an axe from the dwarves' mines. It's a special blade. It can, believe it, or not, actually cut a diamond. Imagine what it can do to human flesh." She turned the axe as he tried to get away. "Soft, pliable… _tender_ flesh," she said, lifting the axe to see just how few strikes it would take to kill him.

"S-She's at her castle!" he said quickly. "But only for the night. In the morning, she leaves for the summer palace," he told her frantically. She felt her face contort in rage. "Please! That's all I know!"

"That summer palace was built for my _mother_!" she growled, hitting him in the head with the axe's handle, knocking him out. She then stripped the guard to his underwear and started for a place to put on her disguise.

"What do you think you're doing?" she heard Grumpy ask as he approached her.

"I already told you," she snapped. "I'm going to kill the Queen."

"By stealing the armour off a knight?"

"Whatever I have to do to get into that castle," she answered. "So, get out of my way. I have to get there before she departs."

"Have you lost your mind? You _really_ think this disguise is going to fool anybody?"

"I'm getting in there," she snapped at him, going to the horse.

"Listen to yourself! All you care about is revenge. You can't even _see_ reality anymore."

"What I don't need, is to be lectured by a _dwarf_ with a bad attitude!"

"I didn't come here to lecture you. I came here to _help_ you." She turned to look at him, surprised.

"Help me? How?"

"By taking you back to Rumplestiltskin. He's the one who gave you the potion in the first place…the one that took away all your memories of your prince. If _anyone_ can give them back to you, it's him."

"I don't _want_ my memories back!" she growled. "That's why I took the potion."

"And it _changed_ you! Maybe he can at least bring you back to the person you used to be. He's the most powerful man in the world. He can do anything."

"Anything?" she asked, thinking of a plan. If he was going to drag her to the Dark One, she may as well make use of it.

_Now…_

Emma was checking the apartment for any signs of a break in. The door was clean…and so were the windows in her room. She moved to check the windows in the kitchen. As she headed to Mary Margaret's room, she heard someone come into the apartment. She looked up to see Henry coming in.

"Henry!" she gasped. "What are you doing here? Why aren't you in—"

"I brought him here, to help with Mary Margaret."

"Miss LeFaye…"

"Please…just Marlo," the woman said as she came into the apartment.

Regina was searching her office. Where were they?! She opened every drawer in the office and dumped the contents on the floor. The phone rang suddenly, jolting her from her current worry.

"Hello…?" she asked as she answered the phone, realizing her voice was a little shaky.

"Regina? Are you okay?" Emma asked, worried.

"Sheriff Swan…," she took a steady breath. "I'm fine. Did you find anything new?"

"Yeah…a hunting knife."

"Where was it?"

"In the heating vent in Mary Margaret's room. I also found Sidney Glass' fingerprints on the apartment door."

"That just says that he's been to the apartment. Didn't you let him in when you were…entertaining him before?"

"He didn't touch the door at that time. I also found his prints in Kathryn's car. I just need him to slip up one more time…"

"I might have your answer. I have a master key to your apartment building. For a time, I was a secondary landlady there. Before I became mayor," she lied. "I still had the key."

"And…?"

"It's missing. Probably from when Sidney broke into my office before. Or any time after that. I don't always lock my office door when I go out to lunch or step out for a minute."

"And you don't have cameras in the office itself…Do you want me to come comb the place, just in case?"

"No, I've already emptied every drawer and looked in every nook and cranny. The key's gone."

"I'll bring him in after I pick up the lab results."

"All right, then…," she sighed. That damned obsessive fool. What was he trying to accomplish? The line went dead and Regina started cleaning up. She spotted something under her desk as she worked. She reached to pull it out and saw that it was her ring of skeleton keys. Two keys were missing. She growled a little.

"Mom?" Henry asked in the doorway. "What happened in here?"

"Henry?" she gasped, looking at him. "I was just…," she trailed off, dropping the keys into a drawer. "Looking for something."

"What were you looking for? A new way to frame Miss Blanchard?" he accused her. Of course he would assume she was behind this…she was only the Evil Queen in his eyes.

"Henry! Of course not. I know she didn't do this. But all the evidence is piling up against her and…why are you here?"

"I was…coming to see you…," he lied poorly. She quirked an eyebrow, but didn't press him for the truth. "Did you find what you were looking for?"

"Yes…I did."

"Okay then…um…do you need any help cleaning up?"

"If you're offering," she answered lightly. Henry nodded a little and joined her on the floor.

"So…um…you've been really nice to Emma lately…did something happen?"

"No," she said quickly. _We just had sex a few times…_ , she thought. "What makes you think that?" she asked instead. Until they knew just what was going on between them, it was probably better to keep Henry out of things.

Emma sighed tiredly as she explained to her roommate about the knife she'd found. The only person that knew about Sidney's prints on the door besides herself was Regina. Fortunately for her, whether Henry was right about the curse or not, bad things really did happen to people when they tried to leave town. If she was lucky, everything would fall into place to make a case against Sidney before things got worse for Mary Margaret.

"The heating vent?" Mary Margaret asked when she finished with her explanation. "Emma, I don't even know where the heating vent in my bedroom is!"

"Someone did, and they put a hunting knife in there," she sighed. "I checked for signs of a break in, but there weren't any."

"You don't believe me…," her roommate accused.

"Of course I do. But, what I think doesn't matter. Evidence is piling up by the hour…" _Too quickly, and too perfectly_ , she added silently.

"Okay…what are you saying?"

"I'm saying you should think about hiring a lawyer."

"An excellent idea," Mr. Gold said from the doorway. Emma looked at him.

"Mr. Gold, what are you doing here?"

"Offering my legal services," he replied, limping into the room.

"You're a lawyer?"

"Ever wondered, why I’m so adept at contracts? I’ve been following the details of your case, Miss Blanchard. And I think you’d be well advised to bring me on as your counsel."

"And…why would I want you in particular as my lawyer? I already know a lawyer that I know works pro bono," Mary Margaret snapped.

"Well, because the sheriff had me arrested for nearly beating a man to death and I managed to persuade the judge to drop the charges."

"Asserting your influence isn't what's needed here," Emma snapped. "We need to find the truth." She could bring Sidney in with probable cause and get a warrant to search his home for any evidence. He'd crack under the pressure if she worked it right.

"Asserting influence may be exactly what's needed here," he argued.

"What's needed here, is me to do my job," she argued.

"Well, no one's stopping you. I'm only here to help."

"Enough," Mary Margaret sighed. "Emma…can you—wait…I don't know her number."

"If you're talking about calling me," a heavy Italian accent came from the doorway. "No need."

"Emery!" Emma quirked an eyebrow. The olive skinned woman entering was somehow familiar, she just couldn't place where she'd seen her.

"Good afternoon," she greeted. "I'm Emery LeFaye. My sister said that a lawyer might be needed for Miss Blanchard's case?"

"That's…just what we were talking about," Gold grumbled. Emma got the feeling that those two didn't get along well.

"I'd honestly prefer for Emery to represent me…thanks for the offer though, Mr. Gold," Mary Margaret said lightly, prompting the man to turn and leave.

Emery stepped out of his way, approaching Mary Margaret's cell. Emma sighed a little.

"I need to go do something really quick," she said as she grabbed her coat and keys. "I'll be back in a while."

_Then…_

Rumplestiltskin was spinning at his wheel while the dwarf complained about Snow White. Yes, it was problematic, but it most certainly would prove whether they truly had 'True Love' and if he could _use that_. The imp barely registered what was being said as he absently spun and watched Snow wander around the lab.

"She's not the same," the dwarf finished his rant and the Dark One looked at him.

"Well, of _course_ it changed her," he replied. "It took away her love. Left a big hole in her heart~. There's no cure for what she's got," he explained. "The person she was, there's no bringing her back."

He stood, cutting the length of gold thread he'd just spun, just enough for a bow string. He let it drop into the basket before going to his cabinet of potions and opened it. "No one can bring back true love…," he sighed as he tapped the empty spot for love. "Love is the most powerful magic of all. The only magic I haven't been able to bottle. If you can bottle love, you can do anything."

He turned to Snow White, who was looking through different objects laid out on a table. "But you don't care about that, do you?" he asked her. "Now, what is it _you_ really want?" She turned to him.

"I want your help," she answered simply. "To kill the queen."

"Now we're talking, dearie~," he trilled as he retrieved the length of thread and went to pick up the unstrung bow he had laying around. He strung the bow as the dwarf protested. When he finished, the imp held it out to her with a grin.

"Now, what is this?" she questioned.

"This," he said lightly. "Is how you kill the Queen."

"How will that help me get into the castle?"

"No, no, no," he argued. She certainly had a one track mind, that one. "That's impossible. You'll have to kill her when she's on the move," he explained. "When she's on the way to the Summer Palace~." Snow's expression hardened a bit at the mention of the location. Ah a heart full of hatred. He conjured a map and pointed to a spot. "Fire the arrow from this spot here, and you'll be hidden from sight. An arrow fired from this bow will get you exactly what you need. It always finds its target." _Even if the target is a tree or cart_ , he thought bitterly.

"I can't stand by," the dwarf said. "If you take that weapon, you do it alone."

"That was always my plan," Snow snapped, taking the weapon from Rumplestiltskin's hand. He giggled a bit. "So, what do I have to do in return?"

"Do?" he asked, giving an air of surprise. "You don't have to _do_ anything, dearie~."

"Everything comes at a price with you," she argued. "Last time, you took a strand of my hair. What's in it for you this time?" He _would_ have said something along the lines of 'the queen's demise', but he still needed Regina for a few things.

"Let's just say…," he paused. "I'm invested in your future." He waved a little as the pair left. He went back to spinning, waiting for the other one to arrive. It didn't take quite as long as he'd thought, only an hour or two. He put himself in the foyer, hiding behind the door as the former prince stormed into the castle.

"Rumplestiltskin," he called. "Show yourself." With a small giggle, he stepped out from behind the door as though he'd just arrived in the room.

"Still dressing like a prince, I see~," he trilled. "Even though you ran away from the life I gave you. How's _that_ for gratitude?"

"You gave me a prison sentence," _David_ corrected him.

"Yes, one that you've now skirted," he replied. "Careful, dearie, King George is a vengeful man."

"I'm here about Snow. Rumour has it, she's after the Queen, and she came to you for help."

"Yes, indeed," he said, stepping towards him. Surely the boy had lost a few hairs onto that cloak? He'd have to get it to make sure.

"What did you do to her?" the other demanded, drawing his sword. Rumplestiltskin took a step backwards to avoid being pointlessly impaled. He wasn't quite in the mood for that.

"What did _I_ do to her?" he questioned in return. "You mean, what did _you_ do to her? You caused her pain. Without that pain, she would never have drank _my_ potion to forget about _you_. That's what changed her."

"Undo the potion," he insisted, pressing his sword against the imp's doublet. "All magic can be broken."

"Oh, yes," he said, taking another half step backwards. He _really_ wasn't in the mood to deal with being impaled or repairing his favorite doublet. "With twu wuv~."

"So…that's it, then? True Love's Kiss will awaken her?"

"Most certainly, but it's gonna be hard to kiss her, when you don't know where she is~," he laughed. The shepherd sheathed his sword.

"Name your price," he sighed. After a moment of feigned deliberation, he giggled.

"How about your cloak?"

"My cloak? Why would you want my cloak?"

"It's drafty in here," he quipped with a light giggle.

"Where is she?" the boy asked as he removed the cloak and set it on the table behind him.

"On her way to the Queen's Highway," he told him, conjuring the same map he'd shown to Snow. "This is the route she's taking." He handed the map over. "But you'd better be quick," he added as the boy turned to leave. "Because, if she kills the Queen, she becomes as evil as the woman whose life she takes~."

"She could never become that evil," the prince insisted, leaving in a rush.

"Evil isn't born, dearie," he called after him. "It's made~! If Snow starts down that road, you'll never get her back~!" He picked up the cloak and looked it over, giggling when he saw just what he wanted left on the fabric.

Snow was getting bored. Waiting for this was tedious. She really just wanted to get it over with, but if it was going to be easier to just drop her _stepmother_ on the road, so be it. She tested the bow out of boredom and then stood to go to her spot and camp out. A man tackled her to the ground and she struggled against him. Did he _not know_ who she was?!

"Get your hands off me!" she shouted.

"Snow!" he said, as though that was a proper reply.

"Who are you?!" she demanded, fighting him off. "What are you doing?!"

"Helping you to remember," he answered, kissing her. Infuriated, she reached for a weapon. Her hand found a heavy piece of branch. "I told you, I will always find you," he said as he broke away, smiling. She rolled her eyes and hit him over the head with the wooden scrap.

_Now…_

Henry was bouncing a little on his toes as he waited for Emma to get back. He heard a door open and he looked down the stairs. It was just Lacey stepping out of her apartment. She looked up at him.

"Henry? What are you doing here?" she asked, climbing the stairs to join him.

"I'm waiting for Emma. I have something I need to show her. It's an Operation Cobra thing…"

"Oh?" she questioned. "Something I might be able to help with?" Oh right…she _did_ believe him.

"Maybe," he sighed. "My mom is setting up Mary Margaret."

"Because she hates Snow White?" the woman guessed.

"Yeah, but I found proof!" He pulled out the ring of skeleton keys. "These were in my mom's office. The book says they can open any lock." Lacey gently took the keys from him and looked through them.

"Well, let's test and see if one fits." He nodded eagerly and she tried every key on the lock, but none fit.

"No…," he whined.

"Maybe she took it off the ring so you wouldn't be able to prove it," Lacey suggested. "Don't worry, she'll mess up soon. I have to go to work. Do you want me to drop you off at the station on my way?"

"Sure…," he answered dejectedly. Lacey handed him back the key ring and he put it in his bag. They went down to her car and Lacey drove him to the station. It struck him that Miss LeFaye had called his mom 'your majesty', and he _knew_ that Miss LeFaye's first name was Marlo, not Nakira. Maybe some people were somehow not all that affected by the curse?

_Then…_

Snow waited for the man to wake up. It was a good way to spend her time while she was waiting for Regina to start her little trip. Finally, he came to and started to come at her. Unfortunately for him, she'd tied him to a pretty large tree.

"Snow…," he said, struggling against his bonds. She looked him over. Well, he wasn't a _total_ loss as far as looks went.

"I assume you're the man Rumplestiltskin helped me forget," she sighed. "What's your name again?"

"It's me," he answered. "Charming."

"Charming?" _Surely that's not his_ real _name…_ , she thought. "Beginning to see why I drank that potion."

"This doesn't make any sense!" he shouted, struggling harder against the rope. "True Love's Kiss should've restored your memories." So _that's_ why he'd kissed her.

"It's not true love, because I don't love you," she snapped. _And you're not that good of a kisser, anyways._

"Yes, you do," he argued. "You just don't remember. You love me, and I love you."

"Words," she bit, picking up her things. "Words, words…that's _all_ that love is. And unfortunately for you, words don't mean _anything_ to me. You know what _does_ mean something to me? Taking action. And that's _exactly_ what I’m going to do," she told him, turning to leave.

"Snow," he called to her. "Snow!" She rolled her eyes and looked at him. "Listen to me. You can't do this! It's not who you wanna be! You _can't_ kill her!"

"Really?" she questioned. "Watch me." She headed off.

"Don't do it, Snow," he shouted after her. "Snow!"

_Now…_

Emma was going through all the right channels. The request for a warrant to search Sidney's house was sent in and she'd get the paper by morning. She had enough probable cause to arrest him and hold him overnight. The lab wouldn't have the results for the rest of the day, so she decided to go ahead and go after him.

She left the station and went to Sidney's house. His car wasn't in the driveway. She groaned and got out of the cruiser. Hopefully, he'd just left his car somewhere and walked home. The sheriff walked to the front door of the house and knocked.

"Sidney!" she called, when there was no answer. "Sidney, open up!" There still wasn't an answer. With a sigh, she went back to the cruiser. She drove around town, looking for Sidney.

_Then…_

James struggled against the ropes. He was running out of time. He saw a bug approach and he groaned, blowing at it.

"Go on," he snapped. "Get out of here!"

"You must be James…," a voice came from the cricket and he blinked in shock.

"You can talk?"

"Yeah, and you can listen," it answered. "Name's Jiminy. When Snow began to act differently, her friends, the dwarves, asked me to intervene." The cricket answered on his arm. "But I'm…I'm afraid I wasn't much help."

"I didn't do any better," he griped. "Can you get me out of here? I have to stop her."

"Well…I'll try," Jiminy sighed, flitting over to start gnawing at the ropes. "What's your plan?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "I tried everything to make her remember who I am…but nothing worked."

"Give that a try," Jiminy said, moving to hover in front of him. James pulled on the rope again and it came loose. "Hm…it sounds like you're approaching this the wrong way. How can she remember who _you_ are, when she's lost sight of who _she_ is?"

Snow knocked the arrow in her bow and waited for the right moment. She moved closer to her position so she could see. Regina passed almost to the right spot and Snow pulled the bowstring back, loosing the arrow just at the right moment. She stood to watch her triumph, but that blasted _Charming_ jumped in the way of the shot. The bolt hit his shoulder and she ran to him.

" _What_ do you think you're doing?" she demanded. "Why would you do this?"

"Well, because…," he groaned, leaning on a tree. "You said you appreciate action more than words. So now, you're gonna get both. I love you, Snow."

"But I don't love you," she snapped. "I don't even remember you."

"I don't care," he answered with a pained groan. "The only thing I care about: is that you don't forget who you really are. I would rather die than let you fill your heart with darkness."

"You would really…die for me?" she questioned, surprised. He gave a smile.

"Does it look like I'm making this up?" he retorted.

"No one has ever done anything like this for me before…," she told him, tears pricking at her eyes. "No one has ever been willing to _die_ for me…"

"No one you can remember," he answered, doubling over in pain. She leaned over to steady him. She smiled a little and gave him a kiss. Everything became clear to her in that moment.

"Charming…!" she said when she pulled away from him, searching his expression with a smile. He smiled as well.

"Yes…it's me," he answered and they kissed again. Snow was just about to offer to take him to the dwarves and see if Doc could patch him up, when they heard horses approaching. "King George's army." He quickly pulled her hood up with his good arm and she started to pull him up to try and flee. The knights got there before they could make any move to flee, and before Snow could react by drawing her dagger, they grabbed her from behind and dragged her away.

"No…," she hissed as a knight yanked the arrow from Charming's shoulder.

"Prince James. Leave the girl. We have who we came for," the knight instructed the others. They released her, but she didn't have a chance to stop them as they started dragging Charming away.

"No!"

"James!" she shouted, moving to try and fight them off. The closest knight to her knocked her out with the hilt of his sword.

"Snow!" she heard James shout to her. "Snow!" he repeated as she came to and stood. It was too late. They already had him loaded in a barred carriage.

"James…," she stood and started after them.

"Snow," he called, going to the bars.

"I will find you!" she shouted to him as they rode away. "I will _always_ find you…"

_Now…_

Emma found Sidney's car, but it was abandoned on the way out of town. Frustrated, she called a tow truck to take the car to the impound yard. Then, she called Regina.

"Did you find anything else, Sheriff?" the mayor asked her immediately.

"Yeah. Sidney tried to skip town."

"What do you mean by _tried_?"

"Just like everyone else that I've seen try to leave Storybrooke, his car broke down a few feet in front of the town line."

"And Sidney?"

"Nowhere to be seen," she sighed. "I'll find him, though. It's just a matter of time."

"Time that you don't have, Miss Swan. If the DNA results come back before you get him arrested, you'll have to deal with the case against Miss Blanchard."

"You don't think I know that?!" she snapped. "Unfortunately, I don't know this area as well as locals…I'll have to enlist help. I'll call you when I find him." She hung up and called Lacey.

_Then…_

Snow went back to the cottage, but only planning on staying long enough to apologize to them. She was so mad at herself for how she'd acted before. She put a mug on the table in front of Happy, startling the dwarves from their supper.

"What's this?" Grumpy snapped at her.

"An apology," she answered. Happy smiled at her.

"We don't care about mugs," Grumpy grumbled.

"It's the only thing I broke, I could replace. I'm sorry. All I can say is…I'm sorry."

"It's you?" Grumpy asked, standing.

"It's me." All seven of them laughed and hugged her.

_Now…_

Mary Margaret made her bed the next morning and heard something fall to the ground. She bent and picked up a key. Surprised, she turned it in her hands a moment. Curious, she moved to try it in the lock on her cell. The door swung open and her eyes went wide. She heard someone coming down the hall and she quickly locked herself back in the cell, pocketing the key. Emma came in with food and a coffee.

"Hey…," she greeted. "Breakfast." The blonde handed a small bag and the coffee to her through the bars.

"Thanks…"

"I know Emery said we shouldn't talk much, but I thought you should hear this from me…," Emma sighed, sitting on the arm of the couch. Mary Margaret sat on her bed and opened her breakfast. "The test results came back on the heart…and the DNA was a match for Kathryn." The coffee cup slipped out of her hand in shock. "She's dead. I'm sorry…for a lot of things. But…now that we have proof of the death, we have enough evidence to move forward with a case against you. It's gonna happen." Emma paused. "You…know I _do_ believe you, right?"

She nodded a little in response, her appetite gone. "All this evidence tells me one thing for certain. That you're being framed, and Sidney Glass is behind it."

"Sidney? Well…why am I still in here? Why don't you just arrest him?"

"Because I can't find him. I tried to book him before the results came back, but he found out that I suspected him somehow and went into hiding."

"Why would he do this to me…?"

"He's obsessed with Regina. He probably was trying to get back in her good graces, since she inexplicably doesn't like you…"

"Right…," she sighed. "So…what's going to happen?"

"I'm gonna do everything I can to help you."

_Then…_

Rumplestiltskin giggled happily as he inspected the cloak and pulled one of David's hairs from it. He dropped it into the vial alongside Snow's hair and made a noise when the hairs fused. He happily capped the vial and put it in his cabinet in the empty spot for love.

_Now…_

Emma came back after putting out wanted posters and spreading word about her hunt for Sidney. Shockingly, Mary Margaret's cell was empty and the door standing wide open. That wasn't good.


	17. Hat Trick

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Another case presents itself as Archie's dog is threatened by a fur-obsessed woman, a case which Lacey takes on to give Emma time to focus on Mary Margaret's case. In a different realm, a fur obsessed fashion designer goes on a Dalmatian stealing spree.

_Now…_

Mary Margaret panted as she paused for breath. Why was she running? She felt hopeless, like the world was closing in around her. She shook her head and started running again. Surely there was a cabin or a place she could hide out or rest in…

Emma stared in open shock at the open door of the cell. She barely registered that Henry was sitting at a desk, reading a story from his book. How had Mary Margaret even gotten out of her cell? She sighed and looked at Henry.

"Henry, what are you doing here?"

"I came to congratulate you!" he told her excitedly, putting the book down.

"For what?"

"Your genius plan."

"And what plan is that, Henry?" Emery asked, coming in behind Emma. The Italian woman turned her gaze to Mary Margaret's empty cell.

"The escape plan," Henry answered, as if it were obvious.

"Henry…"

"What? She was gone when I got here," he replied.

"Her arraignment's tomorrow. If she's not there…," Emery trailed off, glancing at Emma.

"She's a fugitive," she finished. "Doesn't matter if I catch Sidney or not, she's screwed…"

Lacey walked down the road and heard a gunshot fire, quickly followed by a canine yelp. Concerned, she broke into a run and found Archie's dog Pongo on the ground, whining in pain with a small wound. The assailant had left already.

"Dr. Hopper, what happened?" she asked worriedly.

"He only started barking at Miss Close when she crossed our path and she shot him," he answered, gingerly picking the dog up. "I've gotta get him to the vet to make sure he'll be okay."

"Right. You know, you should probably file a complaint with Sheriff Swan, especially if Miss Close threatens Pongo again."

"No…she's too busy with the disappearance…"

"Well, we'll see. Hopefully, this won't get worse." She followed Archie to the vet's office, just to be on the safe side. Archie's cell phone went off and he answered it. Lacey took charge of talking to Phoebe, the Veterinary assistant, about Pongo's treatment.

Archie became distressed as he spoke on his phone and Lacey looked at him after Pongo was taken to be treated. "Dr. Hopper?"

"Can…can you go to the sheriff? I don't want to leave Pongo alone, just in case," he said slowly.

"What happened?"

"Marco just went to my office and windows were broken and a note left in the carnage…"

"Of course," she told him. She then headed over to the Sheriff station. Emma was on her way out with Henry in tow. "Ah, Emma."

"Lacey? I'm in a hurry…"

"And there's a problem. Beyond Mary Margaret's trouble…"

"I don't have time for anything else…," Emma sighed.

"Then I'll look into it. Henry, why don't you join me? It'll give you something to do out of your mum's way."

"Uh…sure. What's going on?"

"It's Dr. Hopper," she told him, leading him to her car. "A woman attacked his dog Pongo."

"You're kidding…," he muttered, getting in the car.

"No, I'm not. She shot him just for barking at her." She drove to Archie's office and parked.

"So…how can I help?"

"Well, to start, we'll check out the damage done at his office. Hopefully, Marco will still be here," she explained, getting out of the car. "There's a camera in the glove box, will you bring it in?" He nodded and got it.

"So…we're gonna do what?"

"We'll take pictures and do some amateur police work to help your mum out."

"Great! So like…it's…"

"Operation Dalmatian?"

"No…that doesn't sound cool enough…," he trailed off as he handed the camera to Lacey. She laughed a little and gave him a look. "Okay, fine. Operation Dalmatian. Do you think it was Cruella de Vil?"

"I don't think so…Pongo's the only Dalmatian in Storybrooke," she pointed out, taking a picture of the broken glass on the front door. "Oh great…we don't have gloves." She pulled out her wallet and held it out to him. "Will you go down to the drug store and get a box of gloves? And you're welcome to get a snack or a soda while you're there."

"Okay!" He took her wallet and put it in his pocket. "Do you want anything?"

"Just a bottle of Sprite."

_Then…_

Pongo walked with his master, Roger, down the road. The Dalmatian looked around as they walked, looking for a mate for his human. The poor man was long overdue for a female in his life. Finally, he spotted a satisfactory pair and started pulling Roger towards them.

"What's the matter, boy?" the man questioned, though he followed. Pongo called to the female, trying to catch up. He caught her attention and she stopped walking, forcing her human to stop as well. She snubbed him after taking a good look and the pair started off.

He barked angrily and dragged Roger along. He wasn't about to let that female get away. They followed the pair through the park and finally caught up with them. Pongo ran a circle around the two humans and pulled, forcing them together. He then turned to the female Dalmatian.

"Well, you're certainly insistent," she commented to him.

"Well…yeah, I guess," he replied, catching his breath a little. There was a sudden pull on his leash. "I'm Pongo," he told her, pulling against Roger.

"Perdita," she replied. Abruptly, they were both jerked to the edge of the pond as their humans tumbled into the water.

"Heh…was that my fault?"

"You're the one that ran around them," Perdita laughed. "I do hope they don't get sick…sick humans are never good. So hard to maintain," she noted.

"I know…" They watched as the two humans got out of the water, laughing. All seemed well between them. "At least they seem all right with things."

_Now…_

Emma woke with a pained groan. She looked around groggily.

 _What happened…?_ She wondered, then she saw the teacup on the ground. _Oh…that asshole…! How do I get out of here?_

Lacey and Henry examined the office, wearing the fresh gloves from the drug store. Marco handed Lacey a note and she read it.

"What does it say?" Henry asked.

" _That mongrel of yours will make a lovely hat_," she read the note aloud. "Close…Marco, do you know what she does?"

"Charity Close? She makes clothes, I think," the toymaker replied.

"Cruella de Vil…," Henry muttered.

"Henry…," she sighed. "Get Archie on the phone. See if he can keep Pongo somewhere safe until we can speak with Miss Close.

"If she's Cruella de Vil she's not gonna stop just because we ask nicely."

"True…we'll just have to find her and see," she sighed. Henry was right, but she'd never seen Dalmatians in the Enchanted Forest. If Regina had brought people and creatures from other realms with the curse, things could get messy. "We've got everything we can get from here, let's go get these pictures developed and some ice cream while we wait and plan our next move."

"Sounds great!" Henry put the note in a ziplock bag and headed to the car.

_Then…_

A year passed since that day. Pongo was quite content with their new life with Perdita and her human. He wandered the house, listening to Roger working in the attic. Perdita was lying in their bed. He lay beside her on the floor and she smiled at him.

"You've been lying about a lot lately…are you okay?"

"Pongo, I have something to tell you," she told him. He tipped his head a bit. "We're going to have puppies."

"P-P-Puppies…?" he stammered. She nodded a little and Pongo stood, barking happily.

"Pongo…you'll scare the humans," Perdita laughed. He laughed nervously and sat back down.

"Sorry…I'm just excited," he told her. "Are you sure?"

"Of course I am, Pongo."

_Now…_

Mary Margaret tried again to shout for help, but the gag in her mouth kept it quiet. A floorboard creaked and she went silent. She had no idea who that guy was or why he'd grabbed her. The door opened and Emma came in. She shouted to her through the gag.

Henry smiled at Lacey as they ate ice cream after dropping her camera off to be developed. She smiled in return and dipped her spoon in his rocky road.

"Hey! Get your own!" he joked, taking a bite of her ice cream. He wasn't sure what flavour it was until he tried it. It turned out to be lemon custard.

"And yet you take a bite of mine," she drawled. "So, you really think it's Cruella de Vil we're dealing with?"

"Who else would go after a Dalmatian for no reason?" he asked her in reply. Because really, who _would_ do that besides Cruella de Vil. "Maybe she didn't have the same name over there? I don't know. But this has 101 Dalmatians all over it."

"I don't remember anyone by that name…," she murmured.

"Wait," he stopped her. "You _remember_? How _much_ do you remember?! Is Emma starting to break the curse?"

"Henry, that's not what we're talking about," she reminded him. He shook his head. This was too big to ignore.

"Tell me!"

"All right," she sighed. "I remember, everything. But I'm different. I took a potion before the curse was cast. I'm likely one of two or three that did that. And the curse is weakening, but not quite breaking just yet. Now…back to the matter at hand, Henry…"

"But, I have so many questions! Who else? How much is the curse weakening?"

"Henry, that's not the problem right now. The problem, is that this Charity Close is threatening to turn Archie's dog into a hat."

"True…okay, but you have to tell me after this is done," he relented. He really hated having to let it go, but she was right, it was a problem that could wait.

"I'll tell you when it's time for you to know. It's dangerous for you to know too much," she sighed. Henry pouted, but he knew she was right.

_Then…_

Pongo was ecstatic as he and Roger waited for the puppies to be born. Nanny kept calling numbers and with every addition, the Dalmatian leaped for joy. Roger was up and dancing, shouting happily every time Nanny called a new number.

"Fifteen!" Nanny called out at last. Pongo could hear Perdita and their pups in the other room and he could tell it was the last one. _Fifteen_ puppies! "Fourteen…," Nanny corrected, coming into the living room. "We lost one."

"No…," Pongo gasped. Roger took the pup from Nanny and started warming it with the towel. A small whine soon sounded from the bundle.

"Fifteen," Roger corrected.

_Now…_

Lacey told Henry to stay in the car while she went into Charity Close's office. The woman certainly fit the part of Cruella de Vil just by her appearance, her bicoloured hair in its messy arrangement, the overabundance of fur in the building, and the clawed gloves she was wearing.

"Do you have an appointment?" The woman asked haughtily.

"I'm with the Sheriff's department," Lacey answered darkly, pulling a swiped deputy badge out of her pocket. "I'm here about a complaint filed by Dr. Archie Hopper. He said that you attacked his dog, and then left a rather threatening note in his office."

"The name doesn't ring a bell."

"The dog is a Dalmatian, by name of Pongo."

"Oh, the spotted… _beast_ that attacked me this morning. The animal should be put down."

"For barking at you?" she questioned.

"Oh, he did more than that! The mongrel jumped at me! It's lucky I didn't have live ammunition in my handgun!"

"Rubber bullets count as live ammunition," she told her. "And there are witnesses that say you shot Pongo after he simply barked at you."

"This is harassment."

"No, it's not. What you did to Dr. Hopper's dog….now _that's_ harassment. And assault. Now, Dr. Hopper had decided not to press charges, but if something like this happens again, we'll have to arrest you."

"Okay then," the woman answered simply, though Lacey could tell it wouldn't be that simple. She nodded a little.

"All right then. Have a nice day, Miss Close," she said, turning to leave.

"I still say the mongrel would make a _lovely_ hat." Lacey had to hold her tongue as she went to her car.

_Then…_

A sudden knock at the door interrupted the hustle and bustle of cleaning up after the puppies' birth. Anita answered the door and Pongo peeked around the corner to see who it was. From where he was, it looked like a giant mass of fur.

"Anita, _darling_!" a shrill voice came from the fur and lightning flashed in the sudden storm outside, showing for a second that it was actually a thin woman wrapped in gaudy fur clothes. Pongo made a face and went back to helping Perdita with the puppies. He could hear the woman in the other room talking to the humans. Something about…buying the puppies?

"Pongo…you don't think….?" Perdita asked worriedly, nudging the one they'd almost lost. "The house is rather small…"

"Don't worry, Perdita…," he told her, licking her snout gently. "Roger and Anita wouldn't _sell_ our pups." Roger began shouting in the other room. "See?"

"Oh, Pongo…,"she sighed.

"You'll regret this!" the shrill voiced woman shouted on her way out. The door slammed behind her.

"I do hope she's bluffing…"

_Now…_

Henry watched Lacey write down a report and put it in the computer. She was doing it like a pro, and he was trying to bug her with questions about the Enchanted Forest and the Curse, but all he got was vague answers. It was really getting annoying.

"So…how do you know how to file a police report?" he asked, giving up on Cobra questions for now.

"I have a lot of spare time," she answered, putting the finishing touches on the report. "I've read dozens of books on criminal justice and police procedure."

"Wow…" He paused a second. " _Beauty and the Beast_?"

"What?" she asked, looking at him.

"Your story," he answered. She gave him a look, but sighed.

"Yes. But…it didn't work out like it does in the stories here. And that's all I'll say on it right now, Henry," she told him crossly.

"Okay, fine…" The phone rang and he started to pick it up. Lacey stopped him and picked the phone up herself.

"Sheriff's office," she said into the receiver. "Slow down, what happened? I see…all right. Of course, take care of the animals. We'll come right down and look into things. No, the Sheriff is busy with a murder case. We'll be there shortly." She hung up.

"What happened?"

"Someone threw a brick into the front window of the veterinarian's office and when things calmed down, Pongo was missing from the kennel. Get the gloves and camera." He nodded and went to do just that. They went out to Lacey's Mustang and drove to the vet's office.

Henry grinned. He really liked her. Besides the fact that she'd trusted him with her wallet and let him get whatever he wanted to eat, this was almost like he was a junior deputy or something. It was way better than riding with Emma for stuff that wasn't an Operation Cobra thing.

"So there are other places besides here and the Enchanted Forest?" he asked as they drove along.

"Yes. Dozens that I'm aware of…there could be hundreds…or even an infinite number," she answered. "I've personally only been to this realm, home, and Wonderland."

"Like from the Alice books?"

"Yes, but I only spent a day or so there. Nasty place outside the White Queen's realm…though the Jabberwocky was surprisingly pleasant," she told him.

"Wow…"

"Anyways, this is a discussion for another time, Henry."

"Right…," he sighed as she parked the car. "Oh wow…someone really did a number on the front windows…"

_Then…_

Pongo and Perdita went out with Roger and Anita, leaving the puppies in Nanny's charge. They knew the pups would behave for Nanny, or they wouldn't have left them with her. As they went to the theatre, Pongo smelled something in the air. He looked at Perdita.

"Do you smell that?"

"Yes…but it's probably from another house," she assured him. He started to agree, hoping for the best, but then he heard Nanny's voice in the wind.

"The puppies!" He turned around and tugged on his leash until it came out of Roger's hand.

"Pongo?" Roger questioned as he ran back to the house.

 _Please don't let it be too late!_ He thought frantically as he rounded the corner, barking to the pups. The only answer he got was Perdita following after him and making the same frantic noise. He could hear their humans trailing behind. The door to the house was forced open. "No…!" he gasped, nudging the door open further to go inside.

He searched the small house frantically for the puppies. They were too late. The pups were gone. He went to comfort Perdita, who was crying in their bed in the kitchen. He nudged her gently and lay beside her as the humans arrived and called the police.

"Oh, Pongo…who would do this…?"

"That nasty furred woman, likely as not…," he sighed. "Don't worry, Perdita, we'll get them back."

_Now…_

Lacey knew exactly who was behind this. Charity Close. They took photos of the scene and she let Henry take the witness statements. While he was doing that, Lacey went to the back to investigate. She found the back door damaged and muddy footprints leading to the kennel.

"Lacey, did you find anything?" Henry asked her.

"Did you get everyone's statement?" she asked, taking pictures of her finds.

"Yeah."

"Looks like the trouble up front was meant as a distraction while another person broke into the back and dognapped our friend," she told him. "Will you get my purse out of the car? I need to dust for prints on the door. And the brick."

"Your purse?"

"I'll explain when you get it for me," she told him. He complied reluctantly. The question was…who had the woman hired to do this?

"So…how are you gonna dust for prints with your purse?" Henry questioned when he returned. She smirked and pulled her little makeup bag out of her purse when he handed it to her.

"Just a little trick," she said, opening the blush. "A little bit of blush where the prints would be…" She dusted the door, seeing a clear print in the residue left by the powder. "Then a pore strip…" She opened up a strip and pressed it to the print, lifting the impression. She then sealed the strip and put it in a baggie. "And we have a clean print from the damaged door."

"Wow…but are you sure that's not from one of the employees?"

"This door has a knob. Most people would use the knob to come in or out," she explained. "The spot I took the print from is directly by the damage, and it's fresh. Fresher prints are easier to pick up." She then went to dust the brick to get the other person's prints.

"Now what?"

"We go back to the station and run these through the town database," she said lightly.

"What about the photos?"

"We'll develop them after we find out who did this and where to find them," she replied, going to the car. "Come on, Henry, we don't have much time."

"Right!" He hurried to join her.

_Then…_

The Twilight Bark brought back little information, but Pongo knew he had to be patient. Finally, they got word from a sheepdog in the countryside. The puppies had been found! Pongo ran to tell Perdita.

"Did anyone find them?" she asked when he came into the room.

"Yes! We have to hurry!" he told her, nodding towards the door. She nodded and they ran out of the house, ignoring the concerned shouts of their humans. The pair ran as fast as they could to the barnyard to talk to the Sheepdog.

After making a plan, Pongo and Perdita went to the decrepit mansion where they puppies were being hidden. They broke into the house through a window just in time and cornered the two humans in the house. They attacked to give the tabby cat in the house and Colonel a chance to get the pups out.

When they met up with the group at the barn, they counted dozens more pups than their own fifteen. "Perdita…," Pongo muttered.

"You know Roger and Anita would never turn them out," she told him. "Please, they need us."

"There won't be room in the house, but…okay. Roger will figure something out to make room."

"Then let's get back to London before those nasty humans catch up." He nodded and they let the pups rest for a bit before leaving the barn.

_Now…_

Lacey and Henry quickly found the identities of the kidnappers and had Pongo back to Archie by sundown. Of course, Archie filed for a restraining order against Miss Close, and by the time Emma called to let Lacey know that she'd found Mary Margaret, Lacey was dropping Henry off at home.

"How did things go with Archie's dog?"

"A lot happened, but it's settled. And everything's filed and documented," she answered. "You can look it over when you go in tomorrow."

"Wow…okay," Emma sighed. "You got Henry home on time?"

"Before his curfew."

"Great…thanks for watching him."

"It's not a problem. He was a big help." She drove back to the station to finish filing things.

"Okay then." Emma hung up.

_Then…_

It felt like ages, and the journey home took at least three days more than the run out to the barnyard had taken. The time was likely because there were 99 puppies in tow and a madwoman and her henchmen trying to catch them. Pongo and Perdita were glad to have the rest while they rode the van back to London. If all went well, the ghastly woman would be put in prison.

The van stopped just next door to their home and the adults helped the pups out of the truck. Pongo went to scratch at the door while Perdita got the last few. The door opened and he jumped at Roger, happy to finally be home. The pups ran into the warmth of the house, getting soot everywhere.

_Now…_

Regina went to the station at 8 on the morning of Mary Margaret's arraignment. She'd been planning to actually encourage the woman if she hadn't run away. The other missing key was just the right size to open the cell doors. Not surprisingly, Mary Margaret was sitting in her cell, reading the news.

"Madame Mayor," the woman greeted.

"Good morning," Regina replied lightly. Emery stood from her seat on the couch.

"Excuse me, but my client is not having any visitors," the Italian told her.

"Of course not," she said. "I was only coming to wish you luck, Miss Blanchard. Hopefully Sheriff Swan will find the real criminal here and bring him to justice." She went to the hall.

Emma met with Henry at the school, figuring she had plenty of time since Mary Margaret had promised to go back to her cell. She found him sitting on a bench waiting for the bell.

"Henry," she greeted, sitting with him. He barely looked up from his book. "Well…I found Mary Margaret."

"How is she?"

"She's okay, other than being on trial for a murder…she's fine," she sighed. "Still no sign of Sidney though."

"You'll find him."

"Thanks. So…I hear you helped out Lacey with the Dalmatian case yesterday."

"Yeah, it was fun. She let me take witness statements and all sorts of stuff." A group of girls walked by just then.

"Hi, Henry," one of them greeted with a small wave. Henry waved back. That looked like the girl that that madman Jefferson had talked about.

"Who's that?" she asked.

"Her name is Paige. She goes to school with me," he said. Emma frowned a little.

"Henry, can I borrow your book for the day?"

"Sure." He closed the book and handed it to her. She opened it up and flipped through it. One picture caught her eye, a likeness of Jefferson with a girl that looked quite a bit like the girl Paige. She frowned deeply and shut the book.

"You go get to class," she told him. "I'll get this back to you after school." Her son grinned at her and nodded.

"Okay!" He stood and hurried to his class. Emma went to the station and looked through the reports that Lacey had filed.

 _Wow she did this like a pro…_ , she thought. When she finished going through everything and making things official, she opened the book again and looked at the story she'd found. Everything that Jefferson had talked about was there. But it was impossible…right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A note: The Vet assistant Phoebe mentioned in scenes at the Veterinary office belongs to [phoenixwithabrokenwing on Tumblr](http://phoenixwithabrokenwing.tumblr.com) and is used with the mod's permission.


	18. The Stable Boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Regina's love for a stable boy triggers the years of hatred against Snow White. In Storybrooke, Regina is plagued by nightmares and has a decision to make. (Minor character death)

_Now…_

Regina was in her garden, tending her apple tree. Something was off. She picked an apple from the tree, but it was rotten to the core. The fruit turned to mash in her hand and she dropped it. Looking at the fruit on the tree, they seemed ripe and good to eat. She picked another apple, but it did the same as the first. Fuming, she turned to go into the house, planning to go yell at Gold and try to find some way to get her curse strengthened again.

A swan landed in her path. There was something familiar about it. When it spread its wings, she realized. It was the same swan that had plagued her dreams before she cast the curse. Suddenly, it meant much more to her. The lion under the swan's wing matched Emma's tattoo. Surely it was no coincidence that Emma had ended up with the last name of _Swan_.

She stepped towards the bird and extended a hand. It folded its wings and hopped closer, butting its head against her palm. Regina heard a voice on the wind.

"You see, no matter how powerful, all curses _can_ be broken!" she heard Rumplestiltskin trill. "Their child is the key~!" Regina pulled her hand back from the swan and it bit her hand. Regina jolted awake, sweating. She looked at the usually empty side of the bed and saw Emma laying there. The blonde opened her eyes and opened her mouth. Instead of words, a lion's roar came from Emma's mouth.

Regina shouted as she woke. The door opened and Henry came in.

"Mom…you okay?"

"Yeah…," she caught her breath. "Yes, Henry…I'm fine. Just a bad dream. Go back to sleep, sweetie…sorry I woke you."

"Uh…it's fine…," he paused. "You sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine sweetheart," she assured him. "Go on back to bed." She got out of bed and walked him to his room. She tucked him back in.

_Then…_

Riding was the only freedom Regina had. She loved it more than anything. She especially loved riding bareback. The teenager saw her father watching as she rode through the field. She grinned and urged the horse faster. They jumped a fence and she pulled the horse to a stop by her father.

"Ah…," Henry said as she dismounted. "That's beautiful, sweetheart." She smiled and hugged him. Her father kissed her cheek.

"Oh, thank you, Daddy," she said lightly.

"Beautiful?" Cora questioned, breaking Regina's good mood instantly. "I'd hardly call _that_ beautiful."

"You didn't like it, Mother?" Regina questioned. Of _course_ Cora didn't like it. Cora didn't like anything that Regina enjoyed.

"You ride like a _man_ ," Cora snapped. "A lady should be graceful. You should use a saddle."

"I was just having fun…," the teenager chuckled, trying to make light of the situation.

"You're getting a little _old_ for fun," her mother argued. "Who's going to want to marry you when you behave like a _commoner_?"

"Honey," Henry said, stepping towards his wife. "Please leave her alone."

"Stop coddling her," she snapped. "She's becoming an _old maid_. All the other girls her age are married," she sighed. "I had such high hopes…"

"Milady," Daniel, the stable boy, said quietly, clearly thinking that the conversation was done. "Perhaps this saddle might—"

"I'm done riding for the day," she snapped, cutting him off. She lead the horse past Daniel. "And don't ever interrupt me and my mother again." She handed the reins to him and watched as he took the horse back to the stable. She turned back to her mother. "Why do you always have to criticize me?"

"I'm not criticizing you," the older woman said lightly. "I'm _helping_ you." She rolled her eyes and started back to the house. "Don't you walk away from me!" The ground under Regina's feet disappeared and when she looked down, she was floating several feet above the grass.

"Oh!" she gasped as she struggled to get back to solid ground. "Mother! You know I don't like it when you use magic!"

"And I don't like insolence," her mother snapped. "I'll stop using magic when you start being an obedient daughter."

"Why can't I just be myself?!" she shouted, getting frustrated. She was used to this, so much that it didn't frighten her anymore. It just made her angry. Of _course_ Cora wouldn't let her be herself when all Regina wanted was to live a simple life. Her mother wanted her to be queen.

"Oh, because you can be so much more…if you'd _just_ let me help you."

"I don't care about status," she said for the hundredth time. "I just want to be—" she was cut off as Cora choked her with magic.

"Cora, please…," Henry sighed as Cora lifted Regina higher into the air. Straps from riding equipment surrounded Regina and tightened around her body.

"Please…," she relented. "I'll be good…"

"Excellent," Cora said with a smirk, releasing her. "That's all I wanted to hear." When she was completely free, Regina fled into the stable. She leaned on the door and caught her breath, close to tears. Daniel paused in taking care of her horse.

"Daniel…I'm sorry I snapped at you," she told him when she'd calmed down. He smiled at her and stepped closer.

"That's all right," he said, stopping an inch away from her. She smiled a little. "You'll just have to find some way to make it up to me." He kissed her passionately.

_Now…_

Emma sighed a little as she left the diner. There still wasn't any sign of Sidney, and his house was clean. Legally, she still had no proof that Mary Margaret was being framed, only three sets of prints.

"Emma?" she heard Lacey ask. The blonde looked over.

"Oh…Lacey…what's up?"

"Any sign of Sidney?"

"Not even a trace. And the prints I have aren't enough to convince the DA to drop the charges on Mary Margaret…" she sighed. "Hey…where'd you learn to file police reports?"

"Books. In my free time, I break into the old library and read."

"Free time? Oh, speaking of free time…you only work five nights a week at the pub, right?"  
"Yes…why?"

"Well, I realized the other day that I desperately need some help at the station. Do you think you'd have time to help out more?"

"How do you mean?" Lacey questioned.

"I have enough money in the budget…," she sighed. "If you can help out a bit, you know, officially?"

"Sure."

"Great. I'll get the paperwork done at the station. I'll see you there."

"All right."

Regina went to the station to check in on Mary Margaret and find out if Emma had made any progress. Surprisingly, the sheriff wasn't there. It was probably for the best, as her nightmare was still fresh in her mind. She sighed a little and sat on the couch to wait for Emma.

"Madame Mayor…is something…wrong?" Mary Margaret asked, startling her.

"Oh…um…no, not really," she sighed. _Nothing I'd want to talk to_ you _about_ , she thought bitterly. If she were to tell Mary Margaret her romantic troubles, it would be Daniel all over again.

_Then…_

Regina got away from the house and barely took the time to put a saddle on her horse. Her little bit of time alone with Daniel was the best time she could manage. Partly because it was the only time she was away from her mother and her control. The girl took a look outside to make sure her mother wouldn't see, and, when she figured it was safe, mounted her horse and rode out to meet Daniel. Her horse barely came to a full stop before she jumped from the saddle and met her lover with a hug.

"I thought we could take a ride to Firefly Hill," he told her. "We can make it by sundown, have a picnic…"

"I can't…," she sighed. Though the idea sounded great, her mother would come after them both and she didn't know how Cora would react to their relationship. "I have to be back in an hour…for Tea Time. A lady never misses her tea time…"

"This is absurd," he groaned, pulling away from her. "Stealing kisses between lunch and tea? When are you gonna tell your parents about us?"

"It's not my parents," she said softly. "It's _her_."

"I don't understand. So I work in the stables. She started out as the daughter of a miller. Wouldn't she, of all people, understand?"

"She does," she argued. "But…but she thinks one's trajectory needs to keep moving up, and—"

"And I'm down…," he finished.

" _She_ believes that. Daniel…I know better." She didn't _want_ to be a queen. Her mother wanted it and since she didn't get that position, she was forcing it on Regina.

"Regina, tell her," he insisted. "She'll get over it. What can she do?"

"Have you _not_ seen her magic?" she snapped, fear filling her again. "It w—" she broke off, not wanting to think about the worst case. "The real question is what _can't_ she do?"

"Who cares about magic?" He stroked her cheek gently. "True love is the most powerful magic of all. It can overcome anything." She smiled a little and almost said something, but stopped when she heard a panicked shout across the field.

"Help!" a girl shouted. Regina shushed him, panicking a little.

"Someone's here!"

"Somebody, help me!" They looked to the voice and saw a young girl being carried off by a runaway horse. Thinking quickly, Regina mounted her horse and chased down the horse. The girl was shouting in a panic, her word slurring together. Regina caught up and leaned out to reach for the girl.

"Give me your hand!" she called to her. The moment the girl had obeyed, she pulled her off of the runaway and into her lap. Regina pulled on the reins to stop her horse. She helped the girl to the ground gently before dismounting and checking her for injury, dusting her clothes off. "It's okay, dear, you're safe."

"You saved my life!" the girl gasped, hugging her tightly.

"Are you all right?" she questioned, pushing her back a little to finish straightening her up.

"Yes," she answered. "But I'll never ride again!"

"Nonsense," she scoffed, tucking her fingers under the girl's chin. "The only way to overcome fear, is to face it." _Advice I should probably heed myself_ , she scolded herself. "So get back on that horse as soon as possible."

"Thank you…," she trailed off.

"Regina," she gave her name, realizing that's what the girl was trying to finish with.

"I'm Snow," she replied. "Snow White." Something was familiar about that name…but Regina shrugged it off, hugging her gently.

_Now…_

Regina called the sheriff to her office. She couldn't stand to be around Mary Margaret alone. The blonde came to the office, looking cross.

"Regina, I don't have time for this…," she told her.

"You might," she sighed. "Listen to this." She played a voicemail from Sidney.

"Regina, please talk to me," Sidney's voice said over the speaker. "I know you can hear this! What did I ever do to make you so mad at me? And after all the trouble I've gone through to get Mary Margaret put in prison or out of town for you…what will it take for you to care about me again?" The message ended.

"Well…there's our confession…," Emma sighed. "Is there a way to get that on a tape or something I can file as evidence?"

"I've already done that…" Regina pulled a tape out of a drawer. "I also wrote down the number he called from and the time…"

"Thanks," Emma said, taking the tape.

"Emma…there's something else I need to talk to you about…"

"If it's about…whatever we had…," she trailed off. The past tense cut, but Regina had expected it. "It can wait until I get Sidney behind bars and Mary Margaret home." The sheriff turned and left the office. Regina sighed a little and put her head in her hands. A knock came at the door and she jolted, sitting up and straightening herself up.

"Come in," she called, turning her attention to some paperwork to make it look like she'd been working. Spencer came into the office and she rolled her eyes.

"Madame Mayor," he greeted.

"Spencer…," she snapped. "What do you want?"

"To put it bluntly, your permission to interview Miss Blanchard," he sighed. "As you've personally taken an interest in the case…"

"Considering she's innocent?" she bit. "Fine. But on the condition that I observe. And if the sheriff or myself tell you to stop, you _will_ stop."

"That sounds reasonable, though I doubt that she's innocent. She has far too much motive," he argued.

"I'm sure you'll see things differently soon enough," she sighed, standing. "Well, may as well get this over with." They headed to the Sheriff Station and they arrived just when Mary Margaret stated that she was agreeing to the interview. Spencer smirked triumphantly.

"Excellent decision, Miss Blanchard," he said, entering the space. Regina followed, glancing at Emma. "My name is Spencer, I'm the District Attorney. Shall we begin?"

"Yeah," Mary Margaret replied. Emma grumbled a little and unlocked the cell, escorting Mary Margaret and her Italian lawyer to the interview room. Regina went into the next room to observe. Emma soon joined her after reminding Spencer that if at any point anyone told him to stop questioning, he needed to do as told.

"So, what's the play here, Regina?" the blonde demanded as the interview was started off with basic introductions between the D.A. and Mary Margaret's lawyer.

"No play. I know she's innocent. But until we can build a case against Sidney…"

"Prove her innocence by what? Having her tell yet another person about the double affair and all that?"

"Well, the men involved haven't thought to come forward with public statements about the situation between the four of them to get rid of public suspicion…"

"True. They're starting…," Emma turned her attention to the interview.

"After she learned about your affair, Mrs. Nolan, the deceased, how did she react?" Spencer asked. Mary Margaret sighed a little.

"She invited me to dinner."

"Dinner? That's oddly polite."

"Well, she was having an affair as well," Mary Margaret explained. "The sheriff already has both David _and_ Andrew's statements concerning the affairs."

"Well, this is to get your side of the story."

"Fine," she sighed, rolling her eyes. Regina sighed a little, hoping this would work. The teacher told every detail of the dinner between the two couples.

"Regina, can I trust you to make sure he doesn't take things too far? I have some—" the door opened, cutting her off. "Lacey…you're late." Regina's eyes went wide as an all too familiar woman stepped into the room.

"Sorry, I had to help Katherine Glacie get some materials into her classroom," the brunette explained. "The pub's closed tonight for some repairs, so I can make up the time. Do you want me to just work on filing and answer the phones until something comes up?"

"Actually…," the blonde smiled. "There's some new evidence against Sidney on my desk. Could you add it to the reports and edit the wanted posters?"

"Sure," Lacey answered, hurrying out of the room to work.

"Who was that?" Regina questioned.

"Lacey French, I hired her to help with paperwork and stuff. She was a big help last Sunday. Henry didn't tell you about her?"

"No…he didn't," she muttered. _Though it's not really surprising, he doesn't tell me anything_ , she thought. The pair turned their attention back to the interview in the other room. Mary Margaret was finishing her explanation. She'd gone through it so much it sounded almost rehearsed.

"You sound like you've practiced this story," Spencer pointed out.

"Well, my client _has_ given the same statement several times in interviews since this started," Emery said sharply.

"Fine. So the jewelry box the victim's heart was found in…?"

"Was stolen _before_ she went missing. I barely used it, so I didn't notice that it was gone until I was packing to move in with David, as I explained a second ago. I was getting ready to move in with David. I didn't even _see_ Kathryn after the dinner. If you still don't believe me, you can ask the sheriff, my coworker Katherine Glacie, the mayor's son, and my neighbour Lacey French."

"And the murder weapon?"

"I have never bought a hunting knife. I've never even _used_ a hunting knife!"

"Mr. Spencer, I think we're done here," Emery sighed.

"Well, there's nothing else I have to ask, so okay." The D.A. stood and left. Regina smiled a little.

"That went well…"

"As well as it could go…," Emma sighed, leaving the room. Regina sighed and went to the main room of the station. For the moment, she and Lacey were the only ones in there. She approached.

"Can I help you, Madame Mayor?"

"Not yet…," she sighed.

"You're wondering how I escaped your tower, your majesty?" the brunette asked her.

"You remember? How?"

"That's for me to know, and for you to ponder. I'm sure you'll figure it out before Emma breaks the curse."

"Or I could lock you up again."

"And what good would that do you?" The mayor fumed and started to leave. "You look tired, Madame Mayor. Having trouble sleeping?"

"It's not your business!" she snapped, leaving.

_Then…_

Regina was checking herself in a mirror, brushing a stray hair behind her ear. She saw her mother in the reflection and she turned to her.

"No, this won't do," Cora said, waving a hand. Smoke engulfed Regina and she started to panic.

"What are you doing?" she asked frantically. When the smoke cleared, her hair was out of its tight braid and her riding clothes replaced with a ball gown. She touched the fabric in confusion.

"We have a guest," Cora told her. "He'll be here any moment."

"I can't," she argued. "I have a riding lesson with Daniel."

"Well, that's been cancelled. Now, smile. We don't want to disappoint him."

"Disappoint who?"

"The _King_."

"The King?" she giggled. "Why is the King coming?"

"Because you've _finally_ done something right!" Cora told her. The emphasis cut, but Regina was used to it. "That little girl you saved? She's the _king's daughter_!" Regina gasped sharply. Just then, her father escorted the king and his two retainers into the room. Awestruck, Regina went rigid.

"Is that her?" the king questioned, gesturing towards her.

"Yes," Henry answered. Cora curtsied deeply. "Regina, honey, this is Snow White's father." She curtsied politely.

"No," the king argued when she was mid-dip. "It is _I_ who should bow to _you_. You saved my daughter's life. There is no way to repay that debt. It is an honour to meet you," he said, bowing. Regina was shocked silent.

"Regina," Cora snapped, nudging her. "Dear. The _King_ is honoured to meet you. _Say something_."

"Oh," she snapped out of her shock. "The honour is mine."

"You're quite lucky to have a mother who looks out for you," the king said lightly.

 _Looks out for me…oh, if only you knew_ , she thought bitterly.

"My dear Snow has many things…but a mother is not one of them. We lost her years ago."

"I'm so sorry," she offered her condolences.

"Since then, I have scoured the land, looking for a wife," he said, waving to one of his retainers. She saw a pillow with a box on it in the man's hand and her heart dropped.

 _No…!_ she thought frantically.

"I've yet to find a woman with an interest in my daughter, until now," he continued, taking the box from the pillow. He knelt and opened the box, showing a beautiful diamond ring. "Will you marry me, Regina?"

 _No! I don't_ want _to be Queen! I only saved her because she was in danger, not because I_ cared _about her!_ She shouted in her head, she wanted to speak, but her parents agreed before she could form the words to argue.

"Yes," Cora said firmly. "Yes."

After she had a moment to herself, Regina ran to the stables and threw open the door. Everything was happening so fast. She was in a panic.

"Daniel?" she asked frantically, looking for him. "Daniel!" He stepped out of a stall and started towards her.

"What is it?" he questioned.

"Marry me," she said quickly, running to hug him.

"Regina, what are you doing? What's happened? Did you tell your mother?" he asked quickly.

"No," she said softly. "And now…I can never tell her. She won't understand. That girl I saved…was the _king's daughter_! And now…he's proposed to me!"

"What?"

"My mother accepted!" she said, crying softly. "The only way out is to run. For us to leave this place…to be married…and for us to _never_ come back…"

"Regina, do you understand what that would mean?" he asked her seriously. "Life with a stable boy is a far cry from a life as Queen."

"Being queen means nothing, Daniel," she said softly, stroking his cheek. "All I care about is you…"

"And if I am to marry you," he started, kissing her thumb. "Let's do this properly." He pulled away from her and went to a saddle, pulling a metal ring from it. He went back to her and put the ring on her finger. "Here." It was a perfect fit. Regina grinned and kissed him. She barely registered the door open, but the sound of a saddle being dropped startled her. She looked back to see Snow standing behind the fallen saddle and staring blankly at them.

"Snow!" she gasped. "Do you—what are you doing?"

"You said to get back on the horse and…," the princess explained. "What are you doing with him?"

"Snow, I can explain," she said, pulling away from Daniel. The girl shook her head and ran off. _Oh no…_ , she thought, barely looking at Daniel before running after the girl. "No, Snow, wait…Snow!" she called after her, running to catch up. Finally, she caught up as the young princess tripped over a root. She helped her up. "Snow, are you okay?"

"No," she snapped, jerking away. "No! Why were you kissing that man in the stable? You're to marry my father! You're to be my _mother_!"

"Snow, please, listen to me," Regina sighed, kneeling to her level. "He…your father, King Leopold, he's a kind and fair man. But I don't love him."

"I don't understand…why not?"

"Love doesn't work that way," she explained. "Love… _true love_ …is magic. And not just and any magic. The most powerful magic of them all; it creates happiness."

"And that man in the stables…you love him?"

"With all my heart," she answered firmly.

"Then you _must_ marry him," Snow said with a broad smile. They giggled together. "I will go tell father right away!" She turned to go back to the manor. Regina's eyes went wide.

"N-N-N-N-N-No!" she stammered, stopping her. "You can't."

"Why not? Surely he'll understand."

"Perhaps, but not everyone will," she told her, steadying herself. "My mother, for one, she'll…she'll stand in the way."  
"That's why you're running."

"It's the only way our love can survive, Snow. Do you know what a secret is? If you really, truly want to help me—"

"I do!" Snow cut her off.

"Then…what you saw…what I told you, you must keep it a secret. Can you do that?"

"I think so."

"I need you to be certain. You can never speak of this. And above all, you mustn't tell my mother. Will you do that for me?"

"Yes. I promise," Snow said firmly and Regina hugged her gently.

_Now…_

Emma was taking a break, sitting in Granny's with a cup of cocoa on the table in front of her. She'd already eaten, and she really did need a break from the case. So, she was reading through Henry's book, staring at the pictures. If she really thought about it, the characters _did_ sort of look like some of the people in Storybrooke, but it had to be just a coincidence.

"What are you doing?" Neal asked, sitting across from her. She glared at him, shutting the book.

"None of your business," she snapped at him.

"Taking a break from trying to find that Sidney guy?" he guessed.

"Unless you've seen him, or have any information on where he might be, _leave_ ," she growled.

"Getting touchy, I see…is it because this Mary Margaret woman is the closest thing to family you've got?"

"Like I said, it's not your business."

"Come on, Emma…we used to—"

"Before you left me to rot in jail," she snapped, cutting him off. "I'm the _sheriff_ around here. You don't wanna piss me off." She finished off her cocoa and picked up the book, leaving the diner in a huff.

That night, Regina went to tuck Henry in. She knew she probably looked exhausted by now. All things considered, she _was_ exhausted.

"Mom, are you okay?" he questioned as she fluffed up his pillows a little.

"I'm fine, Henry…don't worry about it."

"You look like you haven't slept all week…"

"Really, I'm fine." She gave a small smile. "Henry…?"

"What?"

"You…know I'm only trying to be a good mother, right…?"

"Yeah…why?"

"You're not…afraid of me, or…mad at me?"

"No. Mom, what's wrong?"

"Well, you still think I'm the Evil Queen…don't you?"

"I don't think, I know you are," he said firmly.

"And…what if…I didn't _want_ to be the Evil Queen?" she almost whispered.

"Then end the curse. Let everyone be happy again…"

"I can't, Henry. I'm sorry." She kissed his forehead and left the room.

"Emma…," she heard him say to his little radio.

"What's up, Kid?"

"Can I stay with you tonight…I can't stay here…"

"Henry, your mom's trying her best. You have to give her a chance," Emma told him over the radio.

"But she's _evil_!" he hissed. Regina flinched.

 _I never wanted to be evil…_ , she thought bitterly, going to her bedroom.

_Then…_

Regina was packing, as expected, but for a different reason. She was going to leave with Daniel that night. She pulled out the makeshift ring he'd given her and smiled a little, turning it between her fingers. The larger bags were for show, as she'd put her essentials in a simple rucksack that she could easily sneak out of the manor. As time passed, she started to get a sinking feeling that something would go wrong, but she shrugged it off.

 _It's just nerves, Regina. We'll get away and everything will be fine_ , she thought, taking a steadying breath.

_Now…_

Regina knew the scene all too well. She was again tending her apple tree, every apple she picked coming off rotten. Instead of taking her usual path of going to the door, Regina looked at the tree. She found one apple that was a brighter red than the rest. She reached to pick it and found that it was firm in her grasp.

She turned the apple in her hand and saw a single bite taken from it. The apple she'd cursed Snow with. With the apple in hand, she went towards the house. The swan landed in her way and she looked at it. It took the apple from her hand and took a bite from it.

The creature fell onto its side as the curse took hold. With a sharp gasp, Regina knelt beside it, tossing the apple aside. The swan's form shimmered as she lifted its head, transforming into a deeply asleep Emma.

"No…," she breathed, starting to cry. Desperate, she kissed the blonde in her arms. Of course nothing happened. She was the Evil Queen, she'd long lost the ability to have true love.

"Mom…," Henry's voice cut into the scene. She looked around, but there was no sign of her son. "Mom…wake up," he insisted.

Regina blinked awake, moaning a little. Henry was shaking her shoulder. "Mom…come on, it's getting late," Henry told her. She looked blearily at her alarm clock.

"Oh…thanks Henry…," she slurred, sitting up. "You'll miss the bus at this rate…"

"Well, you weren't getting up, so…," he trailed off.

"Why would you care?" she questioned harshly, still half asleep. "I'm the Evil Queen!"

"Mom…calm down…," he tried to console her.

"Just go catch your bus, Henry," she told him. He flinched a little and left. Regina sat at the edge of her bed, head in hands. She'd become her mother. Unloving, abusive, and unloved. Maybe it was better for everyone if she just let Emma have Henry and let them break the curse.

She took a shaky breath and reached for her cell phone. She called her secretary to let her know that she was taking a sick day. The town would survive without her for a while. They had the saviour to take care of them. She put her phone on silent and lay back down. It took a while, but she fell asleep again.

Regina opened her eyes to see a different scene. It was an all too familiar and painful scene: that horrid night in the stable.

_Then…_

Regina went into the stable with her rucksack over her shoulder. She was wearing her riding clothes, with her hair tightly braided. Daniel was just finishing up with preparing the horses. She smiled at him.

"Are you ready?" he asked, taking her bag. She nodded.

"Let's go," she said lightly.

"You could've at least left a _note_ ," she heard her mother say behind her. She whirled to face the older woman. Cora was standing in the doorway, glaring at them. With a wave of her hand, Regina and Daniel were thrown to the back wall of the building. In a moment, she was a few steps inside the stable, the door slamming behind her.

"Mother, I—"

"Don't!" Cora cut her off. "You sneak out of _my_ house in the dead of night and think I won't notice? How _dare_ you."

"You're _impossible_ to talk to!" she argued. "Stop with the magic, and _listen_ to me. I _want_ to be with _Daniel_."

"You don't know what you want," Cora scoffed. "But I do. I didn't make the sacrifices I did in life to get you to the cusp of greatness so that you could end up the wife of a stable boy!"

"It's _my_ life!"

"You foolish girl," her mother laughed. "It's _mine_. After what I had to do, the deals I had to make to get us out of poverty, to get us this life, and you just want to toss it away?" Daniel gripped Regina's hand.

"Stay strong, Regina," he encouraged her quietly.

"Your magic can't keep us apart," she argued. "I love him."

"And I love her."

"And I love her, too," Cora said simply.

"If you loved me, you wouldn't try to keep us apart!" All her mother cared about was living in the castle and being the queen's mother.

"And if you loved me, you wouldn't try to run away," Cora argued.

"I'm sorry, but this is _my_ happiness. We're going." She pulled Daniel to their horses.

"No," Cora said, lifting a hand. "You're not."

"So, what's your plan? You're going to…keep us here forever? Because _that's_ what you'll have to do," she argued.

"So this is…your decision? This will make you happy?"

"It already has." She squeezed Daniel's hand.

"Then who am I to stop you."

"Thank you, Mother," she said, though it sounded too good to be true. She hugged her mother.

"Daniel…," Cora started, pulling away from Regina and taking Daniel aside. "If you want to have a life together, a family, then there's one important lesson I can impart on you. It's what it means to be a parent. You always have to do what's best for your children."

"Thank you," he said. "I understand. Because that's what you're doing right now."

"Yes," she said. "It is." She shoved her hand into his chest, causing him to gasp in pain.

"Mother!" Regina shouted, starting towards them. Her mother pulled his heart from his chest and he collapsed. "No!" she gasped, rushing to him. "No…" He stopped breathing as her mother crushed his heart, leaving nothing but dust. "Mother…why have you done this?"

"Because _this_ is your happy ending," she explained.

"What?" _How is killing my true love my happy ending?!_

"You'll have to trust me, Regina. I know best. Love is weakness, Regina. It feels real now…at the start it always does. But it's an _illusion_. It fades, and then you're left with nothing. But power… _true power_ …endures. And then, you don't have to rely on anyone to get what you want. I've saved you, my love."

"You've ruined everything!" she argued. "I loved him! I loved him…"

"Enough!" Cora snapped, dragging her to her feet. "I've endured this long enough. Now, clean yourself up. Wipe away your tears. Because now…you're going to be queen."

The days passed in a blur. Regina barely had time to mourn as her mother forced her through preparations. What sort of mother would kill her daughter's love just because he wasn't a king? Not the sort of mother that Regina wanted to be.

"Wow," she heard Snow say enthusiastically. "You really _are_ the fairest of them all!"

"Thank you, dear," she said, emotionless. There was nothing to be happy about.

"I hope for my wedding day, I'll be as beautiful," the girl said hopefully.

"I'm sure you will be."

"I _know_ you and Daniel will be _so_ happy together!"

"What?" she questioned, turning to look at her. _She didn't…?_ she thought frantically.

"Well, I just knew your mother would let you marry him once she knew how happy it'd make you! Once she knew how much you love him. You have _such_ a wonderful mother. She would do _anything_ for your happiness."

"Snow?" she asked. _Anything for my happiness…no…anything for_ her _happiness_ , she thought bitterly. "Did…did you…tell her? About me…and Daniel?"

"Yes!"

"But, I told you, very specifically, not to."

"I'm sorry," the girl apologized sincerely. "I just didn't want you to lose your mother. Like I've lost mine…"

 _What did that woman tell her to get her to break her promise? Probably some lie to make her think that she wasn't the devil she really is_ , she thought, turning away from Snow.

"Are you mad?"  
"No," she lied. _At least…not at you_ , she added silently. "I'm not mad at all. You were just trying to help me. However, I'm _not_ marrying Daniel. This dress is for your father."

"But…I thought you were in love."

"So did I, but I was wrong," she said, unable to burden the poor girl with the truth. That Daniel was _dead_ because she couldn't keep a secret. "Daniel has run away. What I had with Daniel wasn't real…it was…an infatuation. See, that's the thing about love…it can come in the…most unexpected of places. Your father and I have something even more special, because it's not just about the _two_ of us. It's about _all_ of us. We're going to be a family."

"We are?"

"That's right," she told her. "I'm going to be your stepmother, and I couldn't be happier."

"Me too," Snow said brightly, hugging her.

 _If only my mother hadn't fooled you, we could have been great friends…_ , she thought. She saw her mother appear in the room. Seeing the older woman caused something inside Regina to break. She narrowed her eyes.

"Snow," the older woman said sharply. "You need to go to your room, help with the packing. Your father wants you ready for the journey, and we're heading to your castle first thing in the morning."

"You're both going to love it there," Snow said as she turned to leave the room.

"I know we will," Cora said as the girl ran off. "Well played, dear," she told Regina when they were alone. "You're learning."

"I should change," Regina said flatly. "Don't want to ruin the dress before my _big day_."

"I am so proud of you."

 _Of course you are, I'm turning into you_ , she thought bitterly. "You knew the king was travelling through our land…didn't you?" she questioned aloud. "That steed with Snow didn't go wild on its own, did it?"

"I have no idea what you're saying," Cora said, unconvincingly. Regina clenched her fists.

"I should've let her die on that horse…," she growled.

_Now…_

The silence of Regina's home was broken by loud knocking at the door. The mayor jolted awake, covered in sweat. The knocking sounded again, and she got out of bed slowly. A quick glance at the clock told her that it was late in the afternoon. Not surprisingly, Henry wasn't home. He was probably somewhere with Emma or otherwise avoiding her.

She went to answer the door, pulling her robe on as she went. She opened the door to find Emma standing on the porch, looking worried. She blinked in confusion.

"Emma…what are you doing here?"

"I came to tell you that the D.A. dropped the charges against Mary Margaret. That message Sidney left on your voicemail was just the break we needed in the case," the sheriff told her.

"That's good," she sighed. Truly, Mary Margaret didn't deserve any of the hate that Regina had harboured against her. The reason for her broken heart was her mother, and she'd long gotten her revenge against her.

"Are you okay? You look like you haven't slept in ages."

"I'm just…not feeling well…," she said slowly. "Emma…you can take Henry, if you want…he deserves a better mother than me…"

"Regina…what do you mean? You've been doing better, haven't you?"

"He's right…I'm…not capable of love…" _But I love him…and you…_ , she added silently, tears coming. "It's…probably what's best for him…to be with someone that loves him."

"Okay, I think you're losing it," Emma sighed. "Look at you…you're sweating…talking crazy. I've been watching. I can tell you've been trying. Come on…you need to get some rest. Like, _real_ , rest. I'll run down to the drugstore and get you some Nyquil or something, okay?" She started to say something to argue, but the sheriff gave her a look that told her that she wouldn't get anywhere with arguing. So, she relented with a nod. "Take a shower and get this sweat off of you and I'll be back in a few minutes."

"All right…," she sighed. Unexpectedly, Emma kissed her cheek before heading back to her car and driving off. Regina stared blankly after her for a moment before going to shower.

Emma drove to the drug store and parked. Sending a text to Mary Margaret to keep an eye on Henry and get him either home or to bed at a decent hour. She was so happy to be able to text her roommate again, and that Mary Margaret wasn't sleeping on that damned cot in the holding cell. As she got out of her car, she heard a scream from near the Diner. Worried, she ran to investigate.

"Ruby?" she questioned, seeing the waitress on her way. The girl looked just as distressed as when she'd found the heart. "What's going on?"

"It's…she…she's in the alley," Ruby stammered, pointing.

"What happened, Ruby?" she asked, starting in the direction the other had indicated. As she turned the corner, a body came into view. It was Kathryn, and Emma could see that she was breathing.


	19. The Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mr. Gold tries to uncover the true identity of Neal Cassidy. While 300 years before, Rumplestiltskin strikes a bargain with his son that will change both their lives forever.

_Now…_

Gold was doing inventory in the back of the shop, or rather, looking over some mysterious items he didn't recognize from a curtained alcove he'd just discovered. The little bell on his door interrupted him and he went to see who it was. He blinked in surprise, seeing Henry looking around the displays. The boy's eyes lingered on the mobile from his mother's nursery. The pawnbroker cleared his throat a little.

"Hey, Mr. Gold!" Henry greeted, looking at him.

"Good morning, Henry," he greeted in return. "What can I do for you?"

"I wanna get a gift for Miss Blanchard," he said simply.

"Oh, I see," he sighed, watching as Henry's eyes turned back to the mobile.

"Since…she's out of jail now, you know."

"Good thinking. You seem to like that mobile," he commented, walking towards him.

"Yeah…there's something about it…"

"Well, if you believe such things, it may well have been in one of your parents' nurseries. Emma's, perhaps?"

"Maybe…but this is about Miss Blanchard! She likes birds…do you have anything bird themed?"

"I'll have a look in the back," he replied, turning. "Why don't you have a look around? I hear that Regina is a little under the weather lately, you might could get something to cheer her up as well?" he suggested as he went back to the back of the shop. He froze in the doorway, seeing a stranger in the space, digging through the shelves. "Can I help you?"

"Yeah…," the younger man said, clearly startled. "I'm…looking for some maps. I'm a bit of a collector."

"Well, there are maps through the shop," he sighed. "This is my office."

"I thought this was the entrance, sorry."

"It's not," he snapped. "If it was the entrance, my little bell would be on _that door_ , not the actual entrance." He pointed with his cane towards the front door. The stranger gave another apology before going into the showroom. As he walked closer, it struck Gold that there was something strangely familiar about the other man.

He shrugged it off and checked to make sure nothing had been stolen before picking up a small birdhouse from Snow White's castle. He brought it out to Henry.

Emma went to the hospital after checking in on Regina again. The mayor was still sick, despite being cleared by the doctors. She had a feeling that Henry's insistence on treating the woman like she was evil was finally taking its toll on her.

"Emma," Dr. Whale greeted her as she came to the room where Kathryn was being treated. "Come on in. Look who's awake."

"Kathryn, hi," she greeted as she stepped in. "Listen, I don't wanna take a lot of your time, but do you remember what happened?"

"I don't know much…," the other woman sighed. "There was a man crossing the street…I swerved to avoid him and hit the building. After that…it was just dark. I think a basement somewhere? I could barely see windows, but I couldn't see out them…there was always food and water, but I never saw anyone else. I guess I was drugged…?"

"Yes," Dr. Whale agreed. "We're still trying to flush that out of your system."

"Then I woke up…in a field at the edge of town…and I started walking. I barely remember seeing a parking lot before…"

"It's all right, don't stress yourself, we already know who kidnapped you. I just needed your statement," she said, seeing that Kathryn was starting to look pained.

"I just wish I could tell you more about where it was…especially with…you thought I was dead…?"

"We found a heart, and it matched your DNA. My new deputy is interviewing everyone in the lab right now," she explained.

"Why would anyone do this…?"

"They were trying to frame Mary Margaret."

"But why? We were all on good terms…"

"They didn't know that."

_Then…_

Rumplestiltskin was just coming back from doing something, he barely recalled what the purpose of the discussion had been, just someone wanting something and making a deal with him for it. He came on a scene and narrowed his eyes.

"Hey," the owner of a cart snapped at Baelfire, who had fallen in front of the donkey hauling the cart. "Hey! What are you doing in the middle of the road, boy?"

"I'm sorry," Bae apologized, straightened up. "I-I…"

"Hey, I know you…," the man gasped. "It's fine! It's fine. It was the donkey's fault. You want a chicken? Or some eggs?"

"It's all right," the boy sighed. "I should probably just—"

"What's going on?" Rumplestiltskin interrupted as he stepped out of the shadows.

"It's nothing," the culprit said quickly. "It was my fault. I wasn't looking where I was going. But, he says he's fine!"

"I'm fine, Papa," Bae assured him. "Really."

"Are you sure, Bae?" he questioned, looking him over. There was a tear in the knee of his son's pants leg, a bit of blood staining it.

"Yes," the boy insisted. "I'm fine."

"Well, I suppose it won't happen again."

"It won't."

"No," the man agreed. "No."

"What's that?" he questioned, indicating Baelfire's scraped and bloody knee.

"It's nothing," Bae insisted.

"It's nothing," the owner of the cart agreed.

"Don't. Bother," he snapped, waving a hand. The man transformed into a snail and he lifted his foot to crush it.

"No, Papa," his son pleaded. "No. Please, Papa, don't. No, Papa!" his voice grew to a shout as the imp pressed his foot down to crush the snail. "Papa!"

The Dark One cast a warning glance at the crowd before tucking Bae under his arm and walking home with him.

_Now…_

Mr. Gold sat at the edge of the party, surprised that he'd been invited. Not surprisingly, no one approached him. Of course, there were plenty of familiar faces, including several of Snow's old counsel members. One he almost didn't recognize, as she had brown hair, had been the young queen of Arendelle. He recalled her coming to him for help with her ice magic, though he no more comprehended the magic her family had been cursed with than he had understood what it would mean to kill Zoso.

Another face stood out to him, the mysterious Lacey French. What baffled him the most about her was that there was no information on her, as if she was a ghost. But, watching her chatting with the others at the party, it was clear she was just as alive and tangible as he was. The light glinted off a deputy badge clipped to her belt. Apparently Emma had found an extra set of hands to help at the station.

The next standout was the stranger who had been poking about. Watching his interactions, he was clearly as outcast from the gathering as Gold was. Henry seemed to have taken a shine to him, though Gold noticed that Emma was casting disapproving glares at the pair. Clearly there was quite a bit of distaste for the stranger from the sheriff.

From his vantage point, the pawnbroker watched as Henry broke away from the conspiratorial conversation with the stranger to give Mary Margaret a package and card.

"We're so glad you didn't kill Mrs. Nolan," Mary Margaret read the card aloud, almost laughing.

"I didn't write that, the rest of the class did," Henry defended himself. " _I_ got you a new birdhouse with my allowance." After a brief hug with his grandmother, Henry was escorted to the door by Lacey.

"I'll take Henry home and check in on the mayor," he heard her tell Emma, the all too familiar accent sending pain straight through his heart. The blonde nodded dumbly and crossed the room to sit beside Gold.

"Enjoying the show?" she questioned.

"Why was I invited?" he questioned in return.

"Lacey suggested it," she answered with a shrug. "I don't know why."

"Hard to let him go, isn't it?" he asked, changing the subject before he was tempted to ask about the mysterious deputy. "Your son."

"Yeah, pretty much the hardest thing, especially with Regina being so out of it lately…," she sighed. "Speaking of something we weren't talking about…you own all that land out in the woods, any idea where Sidney might be hiding?"

"Not at all. And I don't own _all_ the land," he clarified. "By the way, what do you know about him?" he asked, motioning towards the stranger. Emma's jaw clenched.

"His name's Neal Cassidy," she answered, almost growling. "Why?"

"He was poking around my shop today," he told her. "I doubt that's his real name…," he mused. "If there's one thing I know about, it's names."

"He's also not a writer, like he's been telling everyone. I don't trust him as far as I can throw him," she muttered. "Nothing went missing, did it? I wouldn't put it past him to pinch something from your shop and skip town…"

"Why do you say that?"

"Past history," was all she said on the matter. Her attitude made him wonder if this Neal Cassidy was Henry's father.

_Then…_

Rumplestiltskin led Bae into the house. Of course, the maid was cleaning the house up as she'd been instructed. After seeing his son to a chair, the Dark One turned to the young woman.

"Thank you, Onora," he told her. "You can fetch us supper now, Dearie." She nodded and left.

"You killed that man," Baelfire snapped when they were alone.

"Well, you were hurt," he said simply, as though that excused it. He _knew_ it was wrong, but the man had hurt his son. "Speaking of which…," he trailed off as he sat beside Bae. He lifted his hand to heal the scrape with magic, but the boy stopped him.

"No, I don't want magic," his son snapped. "It's _just_ a scrape."

"This will heal it," he argued, lifting his magic coated hand again. Bae shook his head and stood, crossing to the cupboard.

"So will this," the boy argued, pulling out a first-aid kit.

"As you wish," he sighed, taking the kit as Bae sat down. He began to treat the wound.

"You're different now," Bae said sourly. "You see it, don't you? You hurt people all the time."

"I created a truce in the Ogre War, Bae," he reminded him. "I walked into the field of battle, and I made it stop. I let the children home. Surely, a man who's saved a thousand lives—"

"Is done," the boy interrupted. "A man who's saved a thousand lives can be done with it. You can stop doing things…," he sighed. Rumplestiltskin applied a salve to the scrape, causing Baelfire to gasp in pain. He finished treating the wound and stood.

"I can't," he told him. "I need more power, so I can protect you."

"I wouldn't _need_ protecting, if you didn't have power," Baelfire argued.

"Well, I can't get rid of it," he replied honestly.

"Have you _tried_?"

"Tried?" He sat back down and pulled the dagger from under his cloak. "If someone kills me, with this, then they gain the power. You know that, Bae. Is that what you want?"

"That's _not_ what I want. I just think there might be other ways to get rid of the power. Have you looked for—"

"Well, you look for other ways, Bae," he interrupted, noticing Onora returning with supper. He quickly hid the dagger, unsure of how much of their conversation she'd heard. "But don't get your hopes up."

"Papa, if I find a way for you to get rid of the power…a way that doesn't kill you, or hurt me, would you do it?"

"It's not possible," he argued as he stood and moved to serve the stew.

"If it was, would you do it?"

"Are you really that unhappy, Bae?" he questioned, sitting with him again. "I conjure anything you desire. Name it. What do you want?"

"I want my _father_ ," the boy snapped.

"All I want is your happiness, Bae," he sighed, lifting his spoon. "If you find a way, I'll do it."

"Good," Bae agreed, holding out his hand. Rumplestiltskin took his hand. "The deal is struck."

"Struck," he agreed.

_Now…_

Finally, evidence against Sidney was piling up. Unfortunately for Emma, she had other problems to deal with. Fortunately, it wouldn't be a murder trial, and Sidney would turn up eventually and either get locked up in prison or the nut-house, probably the nut-house. She had Lacey on the case, filing all the evidence and monitoring the phones for leads on the man's whereabouts.

The drug that was in Kathryn's system had been specifically purchased by Sidney, they'd finally found all the bugs in the station, and Kathryn had finally been able to identify the man that had caused her car accident as Sidney. Everyone that had the spare time was out combing the woods in search of the ex-reporter.

The matter that was bugging Emma the most was the fact that Regina had now taken almost an entire week off from work and was barely lucid enough to make rational decisions or conversation. The sheriff went to the mayor's home and used her borrowed key for the front door to go inside. She went up to Regina's room to check on her.

The mayor was in her bed, her usually tame hair sticking in all directions, sleeping fitfully. Emma sighed a little and moved to sit on the edge of the bed, touching Regina's shoulder.

"Emma…," the woman murmured in her sleep, her face twisting into a grimace.

"Hey…wake up…," Emma sighed, shaking Regina a little. The other woman sat up abruptly, staring blankly at her. "Another nightmare?"

"Y-Yeah…but I'm fine…," she insisted.

"No, Regina, you're not. You've taken almost an entire week off from work, and every time I talk to you you're delirious or too exhausted to function. And when I ask about your nightmares, you brush me off. Please, you don't have to go through…whatever this is…alone." _I love you too much to see you suffer like this…_ , she added silently.

Mr. Gold watched from his car as Neal mounted his motorcycle and drove off towards the woods. The pawnbroker put the car into gear and followed. If even the saviour didn't trust the man, something was going on.

_Then…_

Rumplestiltskin walked with Baelfire through the woods, towards a little shack. The Dark One spotted a group of children play-fighting with wooden swords and sticks. He smiled a little and nudged his son towards them.

"Why don't you join in, Bae?" he suggested. "I have some business nearby that would bore you."

"All right," the boy agreed. He nodded a little and went to the shack that was his target. He couldn't risk anyone besides Baelfire knowing about the dagger and its power. He took care of her quickly and went to fetch Bae. The children had all left,  all but Morraine, who was sitting with Baelfire and talking to him.

He stepped on a twig accidentally and the girl fled the scene. Surprised, he approached his son.

"Your friend didn't want to say hello?"

"You frighten them," Bae said quietly.

"What's there to be frightened of, Bae?" he questioned. "They'll get over that in time."

"You have stains on your boots…"

"Oh, yes," he sighed. "That…we need a new maid."

"Gods, no!" the boy gasped.

"She heard us talking about the knife," he justified himself.

"She was _mute_! She couldn't tell anyone!"

"Even mutes can draw a picture," he said, shrugging.

_Now…_

Gold followed Neal to the Convent. He grimaced, but watched as the man talked to the mother superior. He got out of his car and walked to the other side of the porch to meet her as she went inside. Neal was leaving, but that could wait.

"Mother Superior," he greeted. "Good afternoon."

"Our rent is paid in full," she reminded him.

"I'm not here about the rent," he assured her, though normally that would be the _only_ reason he'd even be _near_ the building.

"Well, good day to you then," she said, walking past him.

"Tell me," he started. "That man who just left here…who did he say he was? What did he want?"

"I don't have to tell you that," she snapped.

"And I don't have to not double your rent," he snapped in return. He would certainly take pleasure in doubling the rent. "What did he want?"

"Advice, and council," she relented. "He came to town looking for his father after a long separation, and he recently found him."

"Ah," he sighed. "And…a happy reunion has already taken place?"

"No," she answered quickly. "He hasn't spoken to him, yet."

"And why not?"

"It was…a difficult parting," she said slowly. "There are many issues to be resolved between them."

"I see…," he mused. As familiar as the man seemed to him…it couldn't be…after all these years that Bae had come to him somehow?

_Then…_

Rumplestiltskin was spinning at his wheel, relaxing. All was right with the world, for the moment, and he couldn't be more content. Of course, he wasn't sure where Bae was, and that always worried him, but the boy was fifteen, and perfectly capable of calling if he needed him. Abruptly, the door to the cottage slammed open and Baelfire ran into the room.

"Papa, Papa!" Bae shouted excitedly, sitting on the opposite side of the wheel. "I found it. I found a way for things to be like they were. I want you to come with me. I can make things right," he rambled. Rumplestiltskin lifted an eyebrow in confusion. "Have you heard of Reul Ghorm?" The name struck a cord.

"The Blue Star…the Blue Fairy…," he sighed. "Oh, son, please tell me you didn't. Fairy magic doesn't mix well with what I am."

"You promised," Baelfire reminded him. "She can help us. To take us to a place without magic."

"A place without magic?" he questioned, standing. "I'd be powerless. _Weak_."

"Like everyone else. It wouldn't matter. We'd be happy."

"We could be happy here," he argued.

"Father, please," the boy pleaded. "You're getting worse. And you promised. It's gonna work. It can. You made a _deal_ with me. Are you backing out?"

"No," he sighed.

_Now…_

Mr. Gold sighed heavily as he went to Dr. Hopper's office. He was loathe to ask the cricket for advice, but he had no one to turn to. He was a little surprised at the boarded up windows, but then he remembered that someone had broken into the building a few weekends back. The glass still wasn't repaired? He shrugged it off and walked up to the office, knocking on the door once. He thought better of it and turned to leave, but the door opened and his chance to escape vanished.

"Mr. Gold?" Archie questioned, surprised. "Are you here for the rent?"

"Why does everyone ask that?" he muttered sarcastically, turning to face the man.

"Oh, because you—never mind," the other sighed. "Would you…would you like to talk?"

"I don't know," he admitted. He _needed_ to talk about his concerns, but he had no friends to turn to. Even the good 'doctor' had reasons to despise him. He had been the Dark One, after all.

"Oh, um…if you'd like to get something off your chest, please, come in," Archie stepped aside and with a heavy sigh, Gold entered the room and sat on the couch, leaning his cane on the table. He gave a vague explanation about Baelfire. "A son? I-I didn't know you had a son. How old is he?"

"Let's start with something easier," he sighed, honestly not knowing the answer to that question. Bae could very well have been sent into the future or something for all he knew and wasn't who he was coming to expect.

"Okay…um…what do you mean to say that you may have found him?"

"Let's just say…there's someone acting the way I would expect him to act," he sighed.

"So, you recognize him?"

"Maybe…," he trailed off. "Perhaps I'm just seeing what I want to see…I don't know."

"Okay, well, wouldn't he recognize you?"

"There was conflict," he explained vaguely. "I'm not sure he's ready for a tear soaked reunion."

"So…he sought you out and he's hanging back?" Archie guessed. "Maybe, he's watching to see if he's welcome. Looking for a sign that all is forgiven?"

"No, no, no," he corrected. "He's not the one that needs to be…," he trailed off, sighing. "I think he might still be very angry."

"Anger between a parent and a child is the most natural thing in the world."

"I let him go…I've spent my entire life since trying to fix it, and now…he's finally here. And I just don't know what to do," he admitted.

"Be honest. Just tell him what you told me, and ask him for forgiveness. And when you're face-to-face, you'll know what to do."

"Honesty has never been the best colour on me…"

"There's no other way," Archie argued. He sighed heavily and thanked the man for his advice before leaving the office. On his way to his car, he called the glass shop and arranged to have the windows of the building repaired. When he got to the car, he drove home and went to sit on the back porch.

"Hey," Neal greeted him from the base of the steps to the porch. Gold looked at him, taking a close look. Yes, it was most definitely Bae.

"So…I suppose you're looking for _it_?" he questioned.

_Then…_

"Where are we going, boy?" Rumplestiltskin asked his son as they walked through the woods from their cottage. "What kind of world is this we're going to? What kind of world is without magic?"

"A better one," Bae said, producing a bean. Immediately, his heart filled with fear. The only places those things led to were places that caused pain. The boy threw the bean at the ground, opening a portal. The Dark One took a step away from it.

"Oh my gods, boy," he hissed as the wind picked up. "It's like a tornado." He took a few more steps back, trying to put as much distance between himself and the portal as he could.

"We have to go through," Baelfire told him.

"No, no," he argued. "I don't think I can." Just the sight of the _bean_ had dredged up memories he'd long tucked away to try and forget. Looking at the portal made him more terrified than he'd ever been in his life.

"We must, it's the only way!" The boy grabbed him by the hand and tried to drag him to the portal. He shook his head, repeating the word 'no' he knew not how many times.

"It's a trick! It'll tear us apart!" _Just like the last one destroyed my life_ , he thought frantically, pulling against Bae's pull.

"It's not! It'll be okay, I promise!" Bae insisted, tugging at him. The boy lost his footing and fell, the only thing keeping him from falling into the portal was Rumple's grip on his hand. "Papa, we have to go through! What are you doing?" He tried to pull his son to the safety of solid ground. "Papa, it won't stay open long! Let go!"

"I can't," he sobbed, tears starting to flow. "I can't!"

"Papa, _please_ , it's the only way we can be together!" the boy pleaded.

"No, Bae, I can't," he said, shaking his head.

"Papa, _please_!"

"I can't."

"You coward!" Bae accused. "You promised! Don't break our deal!"

"I have to…," he sobbed, letting go of his son's hand.

"Papa!" the boy shouted as he disappeared through the portal. Rumplestiltskin got to his feet and realized as the portal vanished just what he'd done. Just as bad as _him_ , he'd chosen something foolish over his son.

"Bae?" he asked, half-hoping that the portal would just drop the boy back in front of him, or that it was a terrible nightmare. "Bae!" He fell to his knees and started digging at the ground uselessly, repeating the word 'no' over and over. "Bae! I'm sorry, Bae! I want to come with you! I want to come with you, Bae! I want to come with you! Bae!" he rambled on, desperate.

_Now…_

Gold stood and walked down the steps to stand at Neal's level. Yes, he was older, but it was very clearly his son. He resisted the urge to hug him, knowing that there was too much to say before he could do that.

"You were right, Bae," he said before Neal could say anything beyond a rather harsh 'papa'. "You were _always_ right. I was a coward, and I never should have let you go. I know, it's little consolation, but I just want you to know, that ever since you left…ever since you crossed the barriers of time and space…in every waking moment…," he paused, his voice breaking as he held back tears.

He took a steadying breath to continue. "I've been looking for you. And now that I've finally found you…I know I can't make up for the past, for the lost time…all I _can_ do," he said, stepping closer to him. "Is to ask you to do what you've always done…and that's to be the bigger man…and forgive me."

He couldn't hold the tears back anymore. "I'm so sorry, Son. I'm so sorry, Bae…," he trailed off, too emotional to continue apologizing.

"You broke our deal," Neal sighed. "You let me go and chose…all of this…," he paused, making a gesture with his hand. "Over me. But…this is part of why I came to this town," he finished, hugging Gold.

"Oh, my boy…my beautiful boy…," Gold sobbed. "Can you truly, _truly_ forgive me?"

"Yeah…I forgive you, Papa."

"You were looking for the dagger, in the shop?" he questioned, pulling away.

"I figured…if you still had it, it would mean you hadn't changed. But…it doesn't matter."

"What do you mean? You don't want the dagger? To destroy it as you wanted?"

"No…I mean, is there a guarantee that if I destroyed the dagger that it wouldn't kill you anyways?"

_Then…_

"Reul Ghorm!" The Dark One shouted into the night. "Show yourself!" he demanded. The Blue Fairy flew to him. "How do I follow him?"

"You had the way, and you didn't take it," she told him. "And there are no more magic beans."

"That's a lie!"

"We don't do that."

"A _lie_!" he shouted. He knew how this woman operated already. She was worse than he was!

"You'll _never_ make it to that world," she snapped.

"Oh, I'll find a way," he told her. "There _must_ be other paths. A realm jumper?"

"No."

"A time turner?" he mused. Perhaps he could just turn back time and go with Bae.

"No."

"A mage?"

"There is no—"

"A curse?" he interrupted her.

"No…," she said after a moment's hesitation.

"Hah!" he shouted in triumph. "So it _is_ a curse!"

"Of course _you_ would think of a curse instead of a blessing," she bit. "Your magic is limited by its own rotten core, Rumplestiltskin. Anyway, it can't be done. Not without a great price."

"I've already paid a great price," he snapped.

"So, you'd be willing to sacrifice this world for the next? Because that's how great the price is."

"Well, what do you think?"

"Well, then I’ll comfort myself knowing that such a curse is beyond your abilities."

"Oh, for now," he said darkly. "But I've got all the time in the world. I will do nothing else, I will _love_ nothing else," he vowed. "I _will_ find a way. You took my son, but I _will_ get him back."

"I didn't take your son," she argued. But she _had_. Surely she knew what had happened to him the last time he encountered a magic bean. She would have _known_ that he wouldn't be able to go through the portal the bean created.

"You took my son, but I will get him back!" he shouted at her.

"You drove him away," she accused. He drew the dagger and attacked her with it, knowing magic would do him no god. She dodged the blow and vanished.

"I will find him!" he shouted after her. " _I will find him_!"

_Now…_

The phone call that interrupted Emma's discussion with Regina was all too welcome. Simply because it was from the station, and that could only mean one of two things.

"Hold on a second, Regina…it's the station," she told the mayor, patting her hand gently. Regina nodded a little, already looking better after detailing her weird dreams. Emma answered her cell. "Did you find him?"

"He turned himself in," Lacey answered. "And he already confessed."

"Great. Book him and I'll come by to take care of the rest," she told her friend, relieved.

"Will do," Lacey answered. "How's the mayor doing?"

"A little better. I'm with her right now."

"Okay then, well, I'll get this done and then I have to get to my other job."

"Right, thanks," she said before ending the call. "Where were we…?"

"Me being pathetically incapable of loving anyone or anything…," Regina sighed.

"That's not true, Regina. You love Henry, don't you?"

"But he doesn't believe I can change, so what's the point?"

"The _point_ is that you can prove that you can change," she insisted. "Look, I'm no therapist, but you've got some really bad stuff going on…and I bet if you'd just put in an effort and not give up, you'll stop having so many nightmares…"

She took Regina's hand gently and smiled at her. She couldn't find any other words to say to encourage the woman. The only thing she could do was try and help. She couldn't bring herself to admit her feelings, not after what happened with Neal.


	20. The Stranger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Emilie Glacie reunites with her daughter after years suffering amnesia. Meanwhile, Queen Cathrine of Arendelle and her husband leave for her niece's wedding.

_Now…_

Emilie Glacie was on the usual outing with the small group of siblings she babysat: breakfast at Granny's. Sometimes she had a rough time with her little life, barely getting by from babysitting. But she didn't remember any skills she might have had to get a better job. So, she toiled away, working all the time. There were always at least one or two children in her care.

It was something she was used to since her car accident. And the current outing had an ulterior motive: she was about to pick up another two children and drop one of the three she was already watching at the bus. Her life was simple, and she liked it that way.

 _Augustus! Hang onto me! No, it won't hold us both!_ She shook her head a little.

"Miss Emilie, are you okay?" one of the kids asked her.

"Y-Yeah…I'm fine…it was just…," she paused. _What_ was _it…?_ she wondered.

"Did you remember something?" another asked eagerly.

"I don't know. Come on, finish your breakfast," she instructed.

Henry was still wondering why the book was thicker and felt heavier than it had before. He sat in the usual booth at Granny's and flipped it open. He stared in open shock at what he saw. There was a _new_ story in it. He flipped through the story, still in shock. Finally, he fumbled to pull his walkie talkie out and he pushed the button down.

"Code red," he called to Emma, hoping she had it nearby. "Code red!"

"Hey, Henry," she answered. "What's goin' on?"

"Meet me at Granny's. It's an Operation Cobra _emergency_."

"I'm on my way." He waited impatiently for her. Finally, she came in. He saw Neal outside, but ignored that. Every time Emma was around him, she seemed to get super angry, like his mom was a lot of the time.

"Hey," she greeted, sitting with him. "What's the emergency?"

"Sh!" he hissed. "This is sensitive."

"If it's sensitive, why are we at Granny's, out in the open?" He rolled his eyes.

"I'm hungry," he paused. "Who else knows that we hide the book at the Sheriff's Station?"

"No one," she answered. "Why?"

"Someone changed it," he hissed. "There's a new story in it.

"Why would someone add a new story?"

"To tell us something we need to know about the curse." It could have been anyone! He figured it was probably either Lacey or Miss LeFaye, because they were the biggest supporters of Operation Cobra (and they _remembered_ the Enchanted Forest), but he wasn't sure.

"And what would that be?" Emma questioned.

"I don't know…," he flipped to the end of the story, which ended as a cliffhanger with no real ending. "Story isn't finished."

"Why would someone go to so much trouble to add a new story and then not bother finishing it?"

"That's what's weird," he sighed, flipping back. "The story's about Pinocchio. Everyone knows how that ends."

"Maybe _that's_ why it was left out."

"Or maybe…there's more to it." He heard Ruby trying to calm down a pair of kids and saw that the woman that always took one of his schoolmates to the bus was missing.

"Henry, you are gonna be _late_ for school!" Emma realized at the same time. "Let's go."

_Then…_

Queen Cathrine was in the bedchamber with her husband, packing the last of their bags for their trip. In the corner of her eye, she saw their younger daughter Anna approaching with a skip in her step. She tapped Augustus' hand and they turned to catch her when she hugged them.

"See you in two weeks," Anna said lightly, hugging them tightly.

"Don't bother your sister too much while we're gone," Augustus instructed, sending a pang of sadness through Cathrine's heart. He was so commanding when it came to keeping the girl's separated.

"I won't," Anna promised. "I know she'll be busy running the kingdom until you get back." She hated having to keep her daughters separated from each other, when she and her own sister were still so close despite being oceans away from each other.

She kissed Anna on the forehead and went back to packing. Augustus did the same and Anna left the room.

"Cathrine…"

"What?"

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" She snapped her suitcase shut.

"Okay with _what_ exactly, Augustus?" she quipped. "Going to my niece's _wedding_ when I couldn't be there to greet her when she returned? Or how you insist on not just isolating us from our own kingdom but also our daughters? Because it's long too late for one of those to be stopped."

"What did you want me to do?" he asked sadly. "Let Elsa run rampant and potentially kill her sister or strike terror into the kingdom?"

"I _wanted_ you to at least discuss it with me. That's part of being married. We make decisions _together_."

_Now…_

Emilie felt like such an idiot as she told the four children with her to stay at the edge of the school grounds. She hurried onto the campus and went to the office.

"Excuse me?" she questioned. "Andrea Holton left her lunch this morning…can you call her to come pick it up?" She offered the paper sack lunch to the secretary.

"Andrea Holton, you said?"

"Yes."

"All right, I'll call her between—" the secretary broke off when someone behind Emilie dropped a clipboard loudly. "Miss Glacie, are you all right?"

Henry blinked in surprise when he saw his mom talking to Miss Blanchard. He'd missed the bus, so Emma had dropped him off. Luckily Miss Blanchard was teaching her first class since she was back from prison outside, so he could just walk over to the group without getting in trouble with hall monitors for being late. Miss Blanchard walked away from his mom and he saw his lunchbox in Regina's hand. _Oh_ , he thought sourly as he hurried over to her.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, pretending he hadn't seen the lunchbox.

"You forgot your lunchbox," she explained, offering it to him.

"Thanks…?" he questioned as he took it from her.

"Henry, it's time for a change…,"

"Are you gonna make me change classes?" he asked before she could continue. "Because you _framed_ her?"

"Henry! That's not what I was going to say," she defended herself. "I was _going_ to say that you should let me drive you to school in the mornings so I know you get here on time and that you have everything. This is the fourth time this month you've been in such a hurry to get out to meet with Emma before the bus that you've forgotten your lunch. And do you _really_ think I'm capable of something as horrible as that?"

"Of _course_ ," he answered, though he was surprised about the rest. Something had changed in her and he wasn't sure about it just yet. Ever since she'd started going back to work and not being so crazy delirious and exhausted, she was acting weird. "You're the Evil Queen."

"Enough," she said sharply. "Those fairy tales are _not_ real. Miss Blanchard should never have given you that book."

He blinked, but said nothing else as he stormed over to his class. He was dumb to think she'd changed. She was right back to trying to make him feel crazy.

_Then…_

"Do you have to go?" Elsa asked meekly as she curtsied to her parents. It really hurt Cathrine's heart that her daughter, who had inherited such a terrible curse, was afraid to touch them. All because she'd been too afraid of the consequences to stop her husband from instilling such a terrible fear in their daughter.

"You'll be fine, Elsa," Augustus said lightly, ignoring Elsa's terrified expression. Cathrine knew he was only talking about her powers, and nothing else. He left the castle and Cathrine sighed a little.

"Elsa, don't worry, you'll be fine," she encouraged. "Maybe you could spend some time with your sister while your father and I aren't here to stop you?" she suggested with a wink before following after her husband.

"Cathrine, dearest…are you still angry with me?" he questioned as they went to the docks.

"What's there to be angry about?" she quipped, causing him to sigh tiredly.

"What do you want me to do…?"

"When we get back, open the damn gates," she hissed. "Stop telling Elsa that she can't control her powers! Every time you talk poorly about them, she gets more and more frightened! She'll never be able to control them if she's too afraid to _try_. We need a different approach."

He said nothing as they arrived at the docks and boarded the ship.

_Now…_

Emilie had left the school in confusion. Whoever it was that had dropped the clipboard when she was delivering her charge's lunch had fled the office almost immediately, and when she'd asked, the secretary had said that the person that had been there was an art teacher named Katherine _Glacie_.

"Miss Emilie?" one of the girls asked, tugging her sleeve. "Are you okay?" She blinked and saw that all four of the kids were surrounding her, looking concerned.

"I'm fine," she answered lightly, smiling. "Are you guys ready to go? Because if you're done playing, we'll go back to my house and do… _schoolwork_." They squealed and ran back to the playground. She laughed a little, though she was still concerned about the stranger named Katherine Glacie. So, she called the sheriff.

"You've reached Sheriff Swan," the sheriff answered promptly.

"Hello, Sheriff…my name is Emilie Glacie and—"

"Glacie? Are you related to Katherine?"

"I don't know any Katherine, but…"

"Well, Katherine Glacie just called me asking to look into a woman named Emilie…"

"As far as I know, I'm the only Emilie Glacie out there…"

"Would you be able to come down to the station to talk in person?"

"No…I'm watching four kids right now…I don't think you want four toddlers running around your station making a mess…," she sighed.

"Ah, well, where are you? I can meet with you and talk."

"We're at the new playground the mayor had built."

"All right, I'll be there in a few minutes."

Katherine was shaking by the time she left the school that afternoon. That woman had been her mother. Even though Emma hadn't sent her any word since she'd asked her to look into it, she just knew. It hadn't been a ghost, her mother was alive. She got a text from Emma just as she was getting into her car.

 _Meet up @Granny's ASAP_ , was the message. She blinked and drove to the diner. Emma's car (nor the cruiser) wasn't there. Surprised, she parked and went into the building. Surrounded by five kids, was her mother. Emma was nowhere to be seen.

"Mom…?" she asked, tears in her eyes already.

_Then…_

The storm came suddenly. It started with the ship pitching on high waves. Cathrine held onto her husband and hoped it wasn't serious. But then the crew started screaming and the ship was nearly turned over by the waves. She felt as though she was floating for a moment, before she and Augustus were thrown to the floor.

"Hang onto me!" Augustus shouted over the sound of the ship creaking and the screaming crewmen. She nodded, tears in her eyes.

"I love you," she whispered, holding his hands tightly. He nodded a little.

"I love you, too," he said. They were thrown into the air again as the ship pitched.

_Now…_

Emilie looked at the other woman, surprised. The other looked about to cry. She stood up and told the kids to stay at the table.

"I don't remember having any children," she sighed. It was the truth. "But then again…I don't remember anything from before I woke in the hospital…"

"You survived the crash…? Why didn't anyone tell me?" The woman started crying.

"L-Look…I…I'm sorry…," she said, crossing to touch the other's shoulder. "I just know, I woke up in the hospital and the only thing I remembered was my name…"

"Do you remember Dad…?" She shook her head a little. "M-Maybe you'll start…r-remembering…I can pay for sessions with Dr. Hopper…anything…"

"Thank you…Your name is…Katherine, right?"

"Yeah…"

_Then…_

The ship capsized and it took everything in Cathrine's power to surface. She looked around frantically for her husband, shouting to him whenever she was above the surface enough. Finally, she spotted him and swam over to him. She grabbed a large piece of debris nearby, pulling it to him as the waters started to calm. It was still raining terribly, but the damage was done. She didn't see anyone else on the surface.

"Augustus!" she called to him, grabbing his hand. "Hang onto me!" she shouted over the noise of the storm.

"It won't hold us both!" he said as he came to.

"It will!" She tried to get him to grab the debris. "It _has_ to!"

"No…it's too late…," he fell unconscious and Cathrine screamed, trying to keep him afloat as well.

"Augustus! You can't leave me! Stay with me!" She dragged him onto the debris, but it capsized under the dead weight of his unconscious figure combined with her weight holding onto it. She started sobbing as she tried to wake him. "Augustus, _NO_!"

The king didn't wake, but without her weight the debris held him. She could see that he wasn't breathing, so she had to let him go. "I love you…" She whispered, kissing him. Then, she pushed him in the direction she was fairly sure Arendelle was and moved to find a different piece of debris to use for herself.

She started kicking in the same direction when a wave rolled over her and she fell unconscious.

_Now…_

Emma wasn't sure why she'd agreed to this, maybe some stroke of insanity. But, there she was, riding on the back of the motorcycle with Neal out of the town limits. He took her to a diner and parked.

"What are we doing here, Neal?" she questioned.

"I need to tell you something, Emma…," he sighed. "But I also have to show you." He pulled out a newspaper clipping, the one from the day she was found.

"What's this?"

"You know the extra story in that kid's book? It's both Pinocchio's…and yours."

"Okay, now you're talking crazy."

"No, I met him. Emma…that's why I let you go…I wasn't ready for all this…after everything Magic's done to me…when I found out who you really are, I panicked. It was him that called the cops on you. I should have bailed you out, and I'm sorry."

"Wait…who are you talking about? What do you mean 'who I really am'?"

"You're a princess. From the realm I was born in…granted, I left a _long_ time ago. But this isn't about me, it's about _you_. Just come on." He got off the bike and started into the woods. "Pinocchio…August…as he's answering to in this realm…he told me all this. That his father made the wardrobe to send you to safety on the condition that he be sent first. When you were born earlier than planned…Pinocchio made a promise to watch over you and make sure you were ready for this. He got distracted and messed up. He found you while we were together…and he told me…I went along with him, but I had no intentions of leaving you in jail. I just…I had to disappear, and by the time it was safe for me to come back, you were out of my reach…"

"You are so full of shit."

"It's the _truth_ , Emma."

"Yeah? Well I don't believe you."

"You have to. You were meant to end the curse on Storybrooke. Finish the story…"

"I am _not_ a character in some fairy tale book!" she shouted.

"Emma, we _both_ are a part of these stories," he insisted. "And if you don't break this curse…nothing will ever get better, for anyone in that town."

"I can't take that kind of responsibility…"

"Then why did you become sheriff?"

"For my kid," she answered. "I needed a way to be able to fight his mom, and get him out of there…" _But all that's changed…_ , she thought. _Now I don't_ want _to fight her…_

"Y-Your…kid…?"

"Henry."

"He's _your_ son?" he asked. "Is he… _mine_?" Her expression hardened.

"You lost any rights you might have had when you left me to rot in jail."

"You were pregnant when that happened…?!"

"I found out while I was in. He was born in the prison hospital." Neal stumbled and sat heavily on a fallen tree. Emma glared at him. "But the only contact _you_ ever made with me while I was in there, was to send me those keys and some cash…not even an address or apology or _anything_!"

_Then…_

Cathrine washed up on the shores of the small kingdom of Dunbroch. She woke to find herself in a bedchamber with her childhood friend Elinor tending to her. She blinked in surprise and sat up slowly. _How did I end up here?_ She wondered.

"Easy there, Cathrine," Elinor chided. "Ye don' wanna make yer fever worse."

"Fever…?" she questioned. "Elinor…how did I get here…? Where's—" she broke off, eyes wide. "Where's Marie? Is she okay?!"

"Marie? Yer sister…she's in her own kingdom with her husband…and her daughter…and son-in-law. Did ye hit yer head?"

"The ship…it was…there was a storm…but…Marie doesn't have a daughter! She's about to be married! That's what we were sailing to…to her wedding."

"No…ye were sailing for yer niece's wedding, Ah gather," Elinor corrected her. Cathrine shook her head fervently.

"That's impossible."

_Now…_

Katherine was angrily sawing away at ice in her basement freezer. She was somewhere between angry and upset. Her mother was alive, but she didn't remember anything. It felt like losing her family all over again. And it was _her fault_.

 _If only they had decided to skip out on my graduation because of the weather…_ , she thought bitterly. As she worked, the sound of the chainsaw cutting away the ice and the vibration of the tool in her hands was soothing.

Emma shook her head and left Neal where he was. She pulled out her phone and called Regina. She walked along the road.

"Emma? Is something wrong?" the mayor answered, worried. "You rarely call my cell phone unless…"

"I need a ride…"

"Where are you? I'll be right there."

"I'm outside the town limits…," she sighed, holding back frustrated tears.

"Did your bug break down? What are you doing out there?"

"I…I don't want to talk about it…but my bug's at the station…"

"What's your exact location?"

"I'm walking back towards town, but I won't be able to make it before dark…," she then gave the street she was walking down.

"Okay, I'll be right there." The line went dead and Emma put her phone in her pocket. She kept walking until she saw Regina's car drive by and turn around sharply. She got in and buckled up. "What happened?"

"You know that guy that's been hanging around town, Neal?"

"Yes…did you find out something about him?"

"Besides the fact that he's on the same crazy train that Henry is…? He's Henry's biological father…," she sighed. Somehow, she felt a little better finally telling someone about that relationship.

"What?!" Regina gasped.

"Yeah…he got me sent to prison…he's the reason Henry was born in jail…and he was spouting all this crap about…well…you know Henry's stories. I just…I need a break…I can't do this anymore…sometimes you're the only thing that makes sense in my life right now…"

"Does he know about Henry?"

"He does now…"

"Well…there's no harm in at least letting Henry meet him as his father. But I don't know about letting them spend extensive time together. Alone, at least."

"Same…," she sighed. "Hey…how've you been sleeping?"

"Much better. Henry still doesn't believe I can change…but I'm trying."

Emma smiled a little. At least she was trying. And at that point, trying was good enough for Emma.

"Can you…can you stay with me for a while? Mary Margaret's mostly moved in with David already and…I don't know if I want to be alone right now."

"Sure," Regina answered, taking Emma's hand gently.

"Thanks."


	21. An Apple as Red as Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> To save Prince Charming, Snow organizes an attack on the Evil Queen's castle. Emma introduces Neal to Henry, and Regina makes a plan to cast a Sleeping Curse.

_Now…_

Regina was tending her tree again. The apples were rotten, as was usual. She couldn't help but find the cursed apple on the tree and pluck it. She heard the rustle of feathers as the swan landed. Instead of following the usual route of stepping towards the bird, she lifted the apple to her mouth and started to take a bite. She bit into the flesh of the fruit.

Everything went dark and she felt her body fall to the ground. The world shifted and she saw the swan shift into Emma. The blonde was the only one that approached Regina's limp body. Henry could be seen standing by the door, but she couldn't hear what he was saying. To her surprise, Emma seemed to be about to kiss her.

Before Emma's lips touched Regina's, however, a spark of magic spread through the town from the apple tree. Suddenly, Regina was watching a scene outside Granny's Diner, Snow's council members reuniting as their memories returned to them. The scene switched and she saw her own body tied to a stake surrounded by kindling in the middle of town. The pyre was lit.

Regina sat up in bed, gasping. She'd gone at least a week without a nightmare, and that one had been possibly the worst. She looked at the clock and went to take a bath to try and relax.

_Then…_

Regina watched in her hand mirror while she sat in her carriage on the way to George's castle. The fool was about to behead his adopted son. As the soldiers were shoving the prince into the guillotine, her carriage stopped and the queen stepped out.

"Release the blade," she heard George say as she and her own soldiers stepped into the courtyard. Regina rolled her eyes and waved her hand a little, turning the blade of the guillotine into water as it fell towards the prince's neck. "What is the meaning of this?" the king demanded as he stood from his seat.

"Sorry to drop in on you," Regina said lightly as she stepped closer.

"Regina," he growled. "What do you want?"

"I want the man you _pretend_ is your son. And I'm prepared to pay you any riches Midas promised you in return for him," she replied.

"What do you plan to do to him?"

"Oh," she laughed. "I promise he'll suffer. Far more than some swift…and simple… _beheading_." George's guards brought the prince to her and she waved to her own soldiers to take him off their hands.

"How?"

"By using him to destroy his one true love," she said sharply, prompting the boy to start struggling against the guards. "By using him to bring an _end_ to Snow White." She waved a hand and the guards began dragging the former prince to the carriage.

_Now…_

Regina stepped out to tend her tree. The apples were black, she could see that from the door. Eyes wide, she ran to the tree and plucked an apple from a branch. Just like her nightmares, the apple turned to mash in her hand. The only reason she knew that this wasn't another dream was that the apples didn't _look_ healthy in the first place. She growled and plucked another carefully before storming to the pawnshop.

"Your Majesty," Gold greeted her as she entered the building. "To what do I owe the pleasure?" She crossed to him and put the apple on the counter, careful not to splatter him with rotten apple bits.

"My tree is dying," she snapped. "Why?"

"Perhaps it's your fertilizer," he quipped.

"You think this is funny?" she demanded. "Well, I'll tell you what _I_ think. I think it's a sign of the curse weakening, because of Emma. But do you care? No. You're content to just sit back and do…whatever it is you're doing…while all my hard work burns!"

"That's not all, is it? Come on, might as well get everything off your chest."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

" _Henry_ ," he clarified. "Miss Swan wants him."

 _No…she's argued with me every time I've offered to just hand him over_ , she thought sadly.

"The curse was meant to take away Snow White and Prince Charming's happiness," Gold continued. "Perhaps you giving up the boy is simply just the price to keep the curse unbroken."

"I think I'd rather just get rid of her…," she muttered sarcastically. She didn't want to admit that she had other feelings for the saviour than contempt out loud. She'd long admitted to herself that she loved Emma, probably more than she'd loved Daniel.

"Oh, well," he laughed. "You're going to have to be quite creative. We both know the repercussions of killing Miss Swan."

"The curse would be broken," she said at the same time as him.

"That's because you designed it that way," she pointed out.

"You know that even if I wanted to, I couldn't. Magic, well, is in short supply around here. And dwindling by the minute," he said, lifting the rotten apple gently.

"You _want_ the curse broken, don't you?"

"That's not something I care to discuss."

"Don't bother," she snapped. "You can shove your reasons. You have your reasons for wanting it broken, those blasted gypsies want it broken for their own reasons, and your dead girlfriend seems to be in on it as well!"

"What do you mean?"

"Miss French," she growled. "It seems my information was flawed concerning her death. Miss Swan recently hired her as deputy. Now…I want to strike a new deal. You know how to make the Sleeping Curse, don't you?"

"Yes, but unfortunately for you, a negotiation or deal requires _two_ interested parties. And, I'm already planning a trip."

"I'll give you anything," she snapped, leaning on the counter.

"Oh, you no longer have anything I want, dearie," he laughed. "But, I will give you a piece of advice, free of charge: I'd plan a trip of your own. Because once people wake up, and remember who you are…and what you did to them…," he paused to laugh. "They are going to be looking for blood." He put the apple back on the counter and she slammed her hand onto it, smashing it and spattering the front of his shirt with rotten apple.

She then stormed out of the building. She then went to her house to find a way to get Jefferson's attention. She found nothing. With a heavy sigh, she went to the Sheriff's Station. As she'd expected, Lacey was there, but Emma was not. She leaned on the woman's desk.

"I'm assuming you remember because you've learned magic somewhere along the way," she snapped. "I need your help."

"And why would I help you, your Majesty?" she questioned.

"Because the curse will be broken. I need a way to get either my sleeping curse from the past or a recipe to make it myself."

"How will a sleeping curse break your Dark Curse?"

"Because it will get me out of the way and give Emma the push to believe in magic."

"Wait…," Lacey murmured. "You…want to curse…yourself? Why?"

"I just do. Will you help me, or not?"

"I can't. I don't make curses. But," she sighed. "If you can get the Hatter's attention…" Lacey pulled a card, emblazoned with a white rabbit, out of her pocket. "With this, I'm sure you can make a deal with him to get your old curse from the past." Regina reached for the card, but Lacey pulled it back. "If you curse Emma with that apple, I have things that I can use even in this realm that can utterly destroy you."

"Right…I'm not going to be cursing anyone but myself," she promised, prompting Lacey to hand her the card. Regina smiled a little and took the card.

Emma went into the apartment with a heavy sigh. Mary Margaret was making herself a cup of juice behind the counter. Surprised, the blonde crossed the space and leaned on the counter.

"I thought you were moved in with David as of yesterday," she noted.

"I had a couple of things left to get here," the other said lightly, sipping at her juice. "So, I heard you vanished with that Neal Cassidy character the other day. What happened?"

"He's Henry's father," she sighed heavily. "He said he wanted to talk about some stuff, and…I decided to give him a chance to talk."

"Wait, Henry's father? You mean…does he _know_ about Henry?"

"He didn't…until I got pissed off at him and I ended up telling him about Henry. Regina and I are sort of getting along when it comes to Henry now…so we've decided to give Neal at least a chance…"

"But…?"

"But I don't trust him, and I really don't think he _deserves_ a chance."

"What did he do to you, Emma?"

"He used me as a scapegoat and had me arrested," she growled. Neal had said that _Pinocchio_ had called the cops on her, but who would believe that? Certainly not Emma.

_Then…_

Snow was looking at the castle through a telescope. Guards were at every possible entrance, lined up along the top of the walls, archers were even in windows that she could see.

"If we're going to get him out, we're going to have to get over that wall," she sighed, figuring that would be the easiest route. "There's a soldier on _every_ parapet."

"We're going to need some air support," Widow Lucas noted behind her as Snow lowered the telescope and turned to her friends.

"Air support?" Grumpy piped in. "I know just the person that can help us, and she owes me a favour." A bush near Snow rustled and the dwarves raised their crossbows, aiming at it.

"Don't shoot," Red sighed as she stepped through the greenery. "It's only me."

"Uh, Red," Grumpy started. "You've got someone on your chin…"

"Oh, sorry…," she apologized, wiping the blood from her chin.

"What were you able to find out?" Snow questioned, watching her friend's expression.

"The prince is still alive," she answered, looking somewhere between frustrated and disappointed.

"Then why don't you look happy?"

"Because, I also heard word that the Queen is here," Red sighed.

"She knew I'd come for him…"

"It's a _trap_ ," Granny snapped, reaching for Snow's arm.

"Indeed," she sighed. "It matters not, I can't stop now…" She turned her attention to the Dwarves, knowing that Granny and Red would help her no matter the danger because of Red's Wolf side. "But, I'll understand if any of you want to turn back."

All seven of the Dwarves replied in the negative and she sighed in relief. "Well, then, there's no time to waste." The group nodded and all but Red left the area to prepare.

"Why is the queen doing this?" Red questioned, touching Snow's arm gently with her clean hand.

"I destroyed her happiness," she answered. "And now, she wants to destroy mine…"

Grumpy called to Belle first. Not surprisingly, the woman appeared in a puff of pale blue smoke in front of him. She was probably the smartest person he knew, so he figured she could help somehow.

"Dreamy, what's wrong?" she asked, refusing to call him Grumpy.

"Belle…you know that's not my name anymore," he sighed. "And we need some help. Snow White's true love is trapped and we need to rescue him."

"How many guards?"

"The Evil Queen's army is helping to guard the castle…"

"Ruel Ghorm!" Belle called out. Grumpy quirked an eyebrow, but then the Blue Fairy flew down to them. He'd been hoping to find a different way to deal with it. He really didn't want to deal with the fairies after what the Blue Fairy had put him through.

"Lady Belle…what a surprise…what's wrong?"

"I'd say True Love, but you're only interested in uniting lovers if it somehow benefits you," Belle snapped. "For my part…" She pulled out a dagger and handed it to Grumpy. "Give this to Snow White. It will protect her."

"What's the price? All magic—"

"The price has been paid already," she said, interrupting him. She then turned and walked off. Confused, Grumpy turned his attention back to Blue.

_Now…_

Regina watched out the window of her study as Jefferson walked up the porch. She went to the foyer to open the door for him. He glared at her, holding up the card.

"So you got my message, I see," she said lightly.

"How could I miss it? You know I watch her."

"It must be painful…your daughter being so near…"

"What do you want?" he demanded.

"Your help," she sighed.

"And what makes you think I won't kill you after everything you've done?"

"Because if you help me, I'll suffer a fate worse than death," she sighed and waved him into her study. She pulled out his old hatbox and put it on her desk. Jefferson crossed to the box and opened it.

"My hat?" he questioned, looking at her.

"I want you to use it again."

"I can't make it work. No one can. Not here…not without magic."

"Well then, you're in luck, because I happen to have some. Not a lot, but hopefully enough for one last journey." She closed the box and handed it to him.

"Where?"

"Back to our land…where there's a solution to a very…delicate problem I have."

"Emma," he guessed. "And why shouldn't I just let her break the curse? End the madness and go home?"

"The problem isn't Emma breaking the curse. It's her inability to break it. She doesn't believe in magic. I'm giving her the proof she needs to believe and break the curse."

"Why the change of heart…?"

"My son…or rather…her son…I don't deserve to be called his mother. But, for my end of this, before I go through with my plan, I'll take away your daughter's cursed memories and wake her up. You can be happy together before the curse itself is broken. And when you get back to our world, you can pick any estate you want to live in with her." He nodded a little and she smiled a little, starting for the door.

Emma sighed a little as she sat with Henry in the Diner. She wasn't comfortable with this, but she knew it was Neal's usual time of showing up to eat.

"Henry…you've already met Neal, right?"

"Yeah…?"

"Well…there's something about him you need to know," she sighed. "You remember how I told you about your dad and how I met him?"

"I do..."

_Then…_

Snow turned the strange dagger in her hands, wondering what it was going to do and who had given it to Grumpy. It was obviously magical, but she couldn't figure out how it would work. The guards at the castle started to change the guard. She clipped the dagger to her belt and listened for Red's signal. Just in time, a wolf's howl sounded through the area.

"Thank you, Red," she whispered before nodding to the dwarves. "Do it." Dopey nodded and shot a flaming arrow into the sky to signal the fairies. "Move out!"

"I miss Stealthy," Grumpy muttered as they headed to attack the wall.

They stopped at the bottom and fired grappling hooks at the battlements with their crossbows. The guards realized what was going on as the group climbed up their ropes. When they reached the top, the battle began, and barely any of the guards that came at them survived.

They reached the courtyard, but were surrounded by guards. A fell voice shouted overhead and fairy dust fell onto the guards, knocking them unconscious.

_Now…_

"Emma, what does that have to do with Neal?" Henry questioned. Before Emma could answer him, Neal came into the diner and walked over to them. Emma glared at the man. "Wait…you know him? From before I found you?"

"Henry…I know him from before you were born," Emma answered. He frowned as Neal sat with them. "Neal…is your father." She stood just then. "You have fifteen minutes, Neal." She crossed to sit at the counter.

"So…you're my dad?" Henry questioned.

Emma watched as the two talked, resigned to the situation. Ruby set a mug of cocoa on the counter in front of her.

"With cinnamon, as always," Ruby said, leaning on the counter. "What's going on with Henry and Neal?"

"Neal is Henry's biological father…Regina and I agreed to give them a chance to get to know each other…," she explained, picking up the mug.

"Wow…so you and the mayor are getting along?"

"Well enough…," she sighed. "It's complicated." _More like we're sleeping together, it's only complicated because we haven't told anyone yet._

_Then…_

Snow ran down the hall to the dungeons. She spotted Charming in a cell, and she ran to him. She couldn't find the keys, so she pulled out the mysterious dagger. She put it to the lock, planning to pick the lock with it, but the blade glowed and the door swung open. She blinked in surprise, but went into the cell.

"Charming…," she murmured, about to hug him.

"Snow…," he sighed in return. She looked at him, but realized that she was looking at a mirror. She started to hit the mirror with the dagger in her hand, hoping to free him with it as it had unlocked the cell.

"The Queen took me to her palace…," he told her before she could strike the glass.

"But I'm rescuing you…," she sighed, tears coming. She stabbed the frame of the mirror, but nothing happened.

"Snow…," he repeated her name, putting his hand to the mirror. She matched the motion with her free hand.

"Is this always going to be our life?" she questioned. "Taking turns _finding_ each other?"

"No," he answered. "We'll be together, I know it. Have faith." Suddenly, he vanished from the mirror and Regina replaced him.

"I just had to stop you. I have no interest in cleaning tongue marks off my mirror," the queen laughed. Snow frowned and stepped back.

"Let him go," she demanded. "Your fight is with me." She sheathed the dagger as she spoke.

"My thoughts exactly. Have you ever heard of a parley? We break off all this messy fighting and have a little talk. Just you and me. Come unarmed."

"Where do I meet you?"

"Where it all began…," Regina answered before disappearing. Snow kicked the glass, shattering it. She then went to find the others. When they arrived back at the castle they were using as a base, she went to the council room and explained the situation. As she finished, she started to disarm herself.

"Stop trying to talk me out of this," she told them as they all started to argue at the same time. "The castle's secure. I'm going."

"Keep the little knife between your tuffets…," Grumpy sighed as she pulled said dagger from between her breasts. "And the dagger I gave you," he continued as she removed that from her person as well.

"I promised I would come alone," she told them. "Alone, and unarmed. It's a parley, there are rules…"

"You're too noble for your own good," Red sighed.

"I'm not," she argued. "But enough of this. I've risked your lives because of something that's between the Queen and me. I will not let anyone else get hurt because of me."

"Except you," Red pointed out. Snow touched her friend's arm gently.

"Thank you for your concern, but this _ends_ today," she said sharply, turning to leave.

"We can't let you go," Grumpy said, grabbing her hand.

"I'm not asking," she sighed, pulling her hand back. "Thank you for your support. I love each and every one of you. But, this is something have to do alone." She pushed past them and left.

"I don't like this," she heard Red say as she entered the hall. "I don't trust that _queen_ …"

_Now…_

Regina sent a text to Emma as she led Jefferson down to her vault. The message was to confirm that the blonde had Henry and to see how the conversation with his father was going. When she got the affirmative response, she turned her phone off so there would be no interruptions.

"Watch your step," she told Jefferson as the man almost tripped over something.

"What is this place?" he questioned.

"Where I've kept the last bit of my magic," she explained as they came to the main storage room of her vault. "The only magic in this world is in the things I brought with me." She led him into a round room. Jefferson went to the middle of the space and put the hat on the floor. Nothing happened.

"It's not spinning, it's…not working."

"It needs to absorb the magic that's here," she sighed. "I have some things left…" She pulled a box from a shelf and opened it. "A few trinkets…," she murmured as she dumped the contents into the hat. Again, nothing happened, and when the hat was turned over, nothing came out of it.

"It's not enough. We need something that still works." With a heavy sigh, Regina pulled the ring from Daniel out of her pocket, looking at it as his face appeared in the center of it. "Who's that?"

"Someone long gone…," she answered. _All magic comes with a price…and there's no point in keeping this anymore since I'll be asleep with no true love to wake me…_ , she thought.

"Well, whatever…or whoever…it is…it still has magical properties. Give me that and let me see what I can do with it," Jefferson said, holding his hand out. She nodded a little and dropped the ring into the hat when he put it on the ground. Finally, the hat started spinning a little and a small vortex was formed.

"What's wrong? Why isn't it working?"

"The magic…it's not enough. We can't go anywhere."

"Then you've failed."

"Maybe not. There's enough magic to _touch_ the other side, just not to get us there. There might be enough to…reach through and retrieve something."

"I can bring something back?"

"Is there an object that can help you? Perhaps I can open it enough and reach through and grab it. It would have to be _small_ , something you can take with your hand. Is there anything like that that can help you?"

"Yes, there is."

"Then you need to direct me to the time and place where this object exists."

"How?" she questioned, kneeling beside him.

"Think about it. Guide the hat," he explained. She nodded and thought of the moment she needed. They stood together and a vortex opened. "Excellent. It appears to be working. Now…what is it we're after?"

"An apple."

_Then…_

Regina went to the stable at her childhood home, waiting for Snow. So many memories in this place, but none of them could help ease the worst memory of all. She ran her hand along the dusty stall gates.

"Hello, Regina," Snow greeted from the door. The queen turned to face the younger woman, and for a brief moment, she saw the innocent child that had so eagerly promised not to tell a soul about her relationship.

"Follow me," she sighed, reminding herself of why they were there. She left the stables and started walking. "Do you remember when I ran down your runaway horse, Snow? Do you remember when I saved your life?"

"Of course," Snow answered, giving a nervous laugh. "It all looks the same," she noted as they crossed the fields. Regina shook her head and led her to the tree where she and Daniel shared so many kisses and secret conversations.

"Not quite," she sighed. "This is new," she told her, touching Daniel's headstone.

"Is that..?"

"A grave," she answered. "Daniel's grave."

"Daniel? I thought—"

"He ran away?" she cut her off. "I told you that to spare your feelings out of… _kindness_. But, he died because of you."

"I'm…sorry…"

"I'm sorry too," she lied. "But nothing can change what happened. What you did. You promised to keep my secret," she said sharply, turning to fully face Snow. "You promised, but you _lied_."

"I was very young, and your mother—"

"She _ripped_ his heart out!" she shouted, cutting Snow's excuses off. "Because of _you_! Because you _couldn't_ listen to me!"

"You took my father," Snow pointed out. "Haven't we both suffered enough?"

"No!" _Until you lose your true love as I did_ , she thought bitterly, reaching into her little bag.

"What is that?"

"It's just a morsel," she explained as she pulled the cursed apple out. "Did you know that apples stand for health and wisdom?" _Ironic that it will be your doom_ , she added silently.

"So why do I get the feeling that one might kill me?"

"It won't kill you," she clarified. "No, what it will do is _far_ worse. Your body will be your tomb. And you'll be in there with nothing but dreams formed of your own regrets."

"You're going to force me to eat it."

"Of course not," she scoffed. "It wouldn't work, anyway. The choice is yours. It must be taken willingly." She held out the apple.

"And _why_ would I do that?"

"Because, if you refuse the apple, your Prince…your _Charming_ , will be killed."

"No."

"As I said, the choice is yours," she said lightly, offering the apple again.

"I take that apple and he lives…that's the deal you want to make?"

"With all my heart."

"Then congratulations," Snow sighed, taking the apple. "You've won." Snow bit into the apple and chewed the bite. When she swallowed, she fell to the ground, unconscious. The apple fell to the ground and rolled away.

_Now…_

"Was this it?" Jefferson asked as he pulled his hand out of the vortex with the apple in hand.

"Yes," she answered, taking the apple from him. "Yes it is."

"And my daughter? My Grace?" Regina nodded and went to the next room, putting a potion together.

"Give her this and she'll remember only her life with you and nothing of her cursed life here," she told him when she finished putting it together. The man nodded and hurried out of the vault. "Now…how to get the saviour to believe in magic…"

Emma gave Neal more time than planned because of Regina's text. There was also the fact that they seemed to get along. Finally, she walked over to them and tapped Henry's shoulder.

"Come on, Kid, time to get you home so you can do your homework…," she told him. "Tomorrow, after school," she started, looking at Neal. "Well, I'll work it out with Regina and let you know."

"Emma…," Neal started to complain.

"Don't even start, Neal. Regina's the mayor, and I'm the sheriff. You're just passing through everyone's lives," she snapped, gently leading Henry to the car.

"You know…he's a nice guy…," Henry said when they got in the car.

"That's what I thought at first, Kid…but things changed." She drove to the mayor's house and walked Henry to the door. When they went inside, Emma could smell something baking. Emma nudged Henry to the stairs. "Your mom and I need to talk. Maybe she'll let me stay for whatever dinner she's cooking up."

"Emma…don't take anything from her. Especially if it's got apples in it…," he told her before going up to his room. She rolled her eyes and went to the kitchen.

"Emma…hey," Regina greeted, pulling a pan out of the oven. "How did things go with Henry meeting with his father?"

"Pretty well," she replied, sitting in a barstool by the counter.

"I suppose that's good…," Regina sighed.

"What are you making?"

"Apple turnovers…for dessert. We're having lasagna, if you wanted to join us."

"Sure," she replied with a smile. "So…about…you and me…"

"You ended things before they could really start," the other woman pointed out. Emma sighed a little. And they'd slept together since she 'ended' it. Several times.

"I know. Because…at the time, you weren't exactly being a good mother," she replied. "But…you've shown that you can change. And…well…I guess what I'm trying to say is that I can give you a chance."

_Then…_

Red followed Snow's scent to a stable, her grandmother close behind. The dwarves were off searching the grounds of the abandoned home.

"Snow's here," she told Granny. "I can smell it."

"Snow!" Granny called, stepping out of the building. "Snow!" Red started to follow the scent back onto the grounds.

"She's over here!" she heard Grumpy shout. The two women ran to join him. Snow was lying on the ground, unconscious. "I found her lying here like this, is she…?" Grumpy asked slowly, clearly not wanting to finish the question.

"Granny, give me your dagger," Red demanded, holding out her hand. Granny handed her the blade and she knelt beside her friend, putting the blade under Snow's nose.

"Maybe she's just sleepin'," one of the dwarves suggested.

"She has no breath," she said heavily, leaning back. "She's gone…" The dwarves all removed their caps. "She sacrificed herself for true love…"

"She sacrificed herself for all of us," Grumpy corrected.

Regina was watching the scene in her mirror in her chambers. She giggled giddily at the displays of grief. She was particularly moved when the girl called Red removed her cloak and transformed into a wolf to howl out her anguish.

"It would appear sacrifice is overrated," she giggled again. "But speaking of…" she waved a hand over the glass to check in on 'Charming'.

"No!" he shouted at her. "What have you done to her? What have you done?!"

_Now…_

Regina set the dinner table with Emma's help after she finished cooking. She was starting to have second thoughts about her plan to curse herself, but it was the only way to make Emma believe in magic and break the curse. It was the only way to right all of her wrongs. Henry came downstairs and eyed her warily.

"Just in time, Henry," she said lightly. "Dinner's ready."

"So…we're all eating together?" he questioned as the two women sat at the table.

"Yes, I think it's only right that we all make peace," Regina explained. "After all, despite only being in your life recently, Miss Swan is your biological mother and has just as much right to spend time with you as I do. All this messy fighting is over." Henry quirked an eyebrow, but sat down. They ate in relative peace, until dessert.

"Are those…apple turnovers?" Henry questioned.

"Yes, I made them with extra cinnamon. I know you both like cinnamon," she answered, reaching to take one. Henry stopped her.

"Emma, don't eat them! They're poisoned!"

"Henry…what part of 'all this messy fighting is over' didn't you get?" Emma questioned, taking a turnover from the plate. Before the blonde could take a bite, Henry ran around the table and snatched it from her.

"Why are you doing this, Henry? The turnovers aren't poisoned," Regina sighed, taking one from the plate. She lifted it to her mouth. "Here, I'll prove it." She started to take a bite, but Henry took a bite from the turnover in his hand before she could break through the pastry. Her eyes went wide as he chewed the bite.

"See, Henry?" Emma sighed. Regina was silent, hoping that he'd happened to bite into the only turnover she'd made with a normal apple. She glanced at the pastry left on the plate and saw that the mark she'd cut into the 'safe' one was on the one sitting untouched. Before Henry could say anything, he fell to the floor, dropping the turnover. "Henry!?"

"No…," Regina gasped, standing up.


	22. A Land Without Magic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lacey comes to Gold's shop as Emma and Regina look for a way to save Henry. Back in the Enchanted Forest, Prince Charming breaks the Sleeping Curse on Snow White.

_Then…_

James tried every method he could think of to break the lock on his cell, determined to escape and find Snow. He had to free her from whatever curse Regina had put her under. He knew that True Love's Kiss would work. It had worked before to break the forgetting spell that was on her.

"I will find you, Snow," he promised the empty air as he banged a rock against the lock. "I will _always_ find you…" Two guards came into the dungeon and unlocked his cell.

"It'll be hard to do that without your head," one said as they grabbed him and started down the hall. "The Queen is looking forward to your execution." Seeing his opportunity, James dropped to his knees.

"Get up! On your feet," the second guard commanded. He fought them, knocking them unconscious easily. He ran down the hall, but saw a guard blocking his path. He started to flee in the other direction as the guard drew his bow, but another guard blocked the path.

"Shoot him," the one he was facing told the one with the bow. The arrow was let loose, but instead of hitting James, it hit the guard that had spoken.

"Who the hell are you?" he demanded. The guard lowered his bow and pulled his helmet off.

"A friend."

"I don't know you," he snapped.

"But I know Snow White."

"Is she okay?"

"The Queen was traveling to meet her, but other than that, I don't know. Her fate is in a precarious place," he said as he removed the shackles from James' wrists. "We must hurry. Follow me, I can get you out." The man led him through the halls. "I'll try and stall the queen. The rest is up to you." He handed over James' weapons when they were close to the exit. "Your weapon and some provisions…good luck," he said heavily.

"You're not coming with me?"

"I cannot," the man explained. "I gave up my heart so that the Queen would spare Snow's. Don't let my sacrifice be in vain. Find her."

James nodded and ran out of the castle.

_Now…_

Regina was in a panic. Magic was different in this world. She was okay with the potential consequences of cursing herself, but Henry was a different matter. Emma had already called for an ambulance. While they waited, Regina looked at Emma.

"I'm sorry…it wasn't…it wasn't meant for him…," she said quietly.

"What do you mean? Were you really going to poison me?"

"No…I was going to poison _myself_ ," she replied, lifting Henry into her arms carefully. The sirens could be heard before Emma could reply. Regina carried him out to the ambulance and let Emma ride with him. She went to her car and kicked the door in frustration. _Why did Henry have to assume the curse was for Emma?!_

Emma was confused, and starting to panic. What had Regina meant about poisoning herself? Was the mayor suicidal or something? She kept chanting to Henry, trying to stir him, all the way to the hospital and up until the nurses forced her to back off.

Everything blurred as she tried to rationalize what had happened. If Regina had planned to commit suicide over dinner, surely the turnovers had been marked somehow so that she could ensure that the poison didn't end up in Henry or Emma's hands, but she couldn't help but wonder if Regina had planned to take the first bite and fall before either of them could taste the other pastries.

The sheriff presented the barely eaten apple turnover to the doctor, demanding that he run tests on it. He insisted that there was no sign of poison, so it couldn't have been caused by the turnover. Frantic, she sat down, trying to think of solutions. Then, she remembered the book.

 _Apple…it was a poisoned apple that cursed Snow White…if Henry's right then…_ , she thought, everything becoming clear. She saw Regina step into the waiting room. It all clicked, a mixture of the drawings from the book and real life action flashing through her mind. It was all true. And Regina had done this.

"Emma, any news?" Regina asked frantically.

"Why?" she demanded, glaring at her.

"What do you mean?"

"Why did you do this?!" she demanded, dragging the mayor into a supply closet and slamming her against a shelf unit.

"Emma, it wasn't meant for him! Or you!" Regina defended herself.

"Somehow, I'm not buying it."

" _I_ was the one that was supposed to be cursed! Before either of you could take a bite, I was going to eat it and have the curse take hold!"

"And…what's it gonna do to him?"

"I don't know. Magic here is unpredictable."

"So…so he could…"

"Yes…"

"And you were going to… _why_?!"

"To make you believe. And atone…none of them deserve this…I realize that now…I was supposed to sleep while you broke the Dark Curse and freed everyone else…"

"Well, it backfired. What do we do?"

"We need help…," she admitted.

"Mr. Gold…?" Emma suggested.

"Actually, he goes by Rumplestiltskin," Regina corrected. The Dark One?

_Then…_

Regina was furious. The so-called prince had escaped, and she knew exactly who had let him out. So, she called the Huntsman into her chamber and waited.

"Where is he?" she demanded when he came into the room. "The prisoner!"

"Escaped," he answered simply. She growled and waved her hand, blasting him against the wall with magic. She stepped towards him.

"A palace _full_ of guards, and you let him escape?!"

"I did my best."

"You failed!" she snapped. "And do you know what happens to people who fail me, Huntsman?"

"I'll find him," he promised. "You needn't worry. Leave him to me." She narrowed her eyes and waved a hand over a mirror. The charm found James, showing him running along a beach.

"That won't be necessary," she bit. "He's mine." She snapped a finger, transporting him to the Infinite Forest.

James jolted to a stop as the beach vanished and was replaced with trees. He looked around a moment before running in a random direction. He soon came to a clearing and came to a stop to catch his breath.

"Lost, are we?" he heard Rumplestiltskin ask from behind him. He turned to face the imp.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded.

"I'm just here to help."

"Well, no need," he argued. "I'll be fine."

"No, I don't think so. This is the Infinite Forest," Rumplestiltskin said lightly. "There's no way out. Well, except… _my_ way."

"I want nothing from you," he growled.

"Not even this?" the imp questioned, holding an all too familiar ring.

"My mother's ring…?" he trailed off. "It was just…" He checked his pocket. "How did you get it?!"

"The same way I get everything I want… _magic_ ~! The same magic that allows me to do…," the imp trailed off, tossing the ring into the air and catching it. "This~." The emerald started glowing. "This ring is now enchanted. The closer you get to Snow White, the brighter it will glow. Interested?"

"Give it to me," James demanded, stepping closer.

"Ah!" the imp laughed, closing his hand around the ring. "It's not something for nothing, Dearie~! Time to make a deal."

"No!" he shouted, drawing his sword. "No more deals!" He charged, but the imp dodged easily, vanishing.

"Over here!" He whirled to block Rumplestiltskin's sword. He shouted and attacked consistently, even drawing a dagger to get an upper hand. "Persistent," the imp noted as they fought. "Had enough?"

"Never!" He pushed him back until finally he landed a blow, scratching the Dark One's face. He smirked as the other took a second to heal himself before the fight resumed. Magic threw him into a tree and James rolled to retrieve his sword when he landed. Unfortunately, the imp picked it up and held the blade to his throat.

"Looking for this? So brave…so gallant…so…pointless. Bravery won't get you out of this forest, dearie. Magic will. Trust me. This is a deal you _want_ to make, because we both want the same thing."

"What's that?" he questioned.

"Why, you and your true love to be together, of course."

_Now…_

Lacey sighed a little as she stepped out of the sheriff's station. Her phone went off as she went to her car. With a small frown, she checked it.

 _Henry ate a poison apple_ , was the message from Emma.

 _You believe?_ She replied quickly.

 _Hell yeah. We're going to Gold_ , Emma replied in a moment. Lacey smirked and sent a text to the LeFayes.

 _She believes, but Henry is cursed._ She headed to the library.

_Then…_

Rumplestiltskin conjured the True Love potion into his hand as he faced David.

"Behold, the most powerful magic of all…True Love," he said lightly. The boy reached for it. "Ah! Careful. This is all I have left of it."

"What do _you_ know of True Love?" the boy demanded.

"Well, not as much as you, perhaps, but not so little as you might think." _And I let it slip away from me._

"You? You love someone?"

"It was a brief…flicker of light amidst an…ocean of darkness."

"What happened?"

"She died," he snapped. "That's the thing about True Love, dearie. It can slip through your fingers. It's the most powerful magic in the world, the only magic powerful enough to break any curse. It must be protected at all costs."

"I don't understand. What exactly is it you want me to do?"

"I want you to help me protect it," he said lightly. "By putting it in a safe place for me." He conjured an egg and put the potion inside it.

"And where is that?"

"Why, inside the belly of a beast, of course~!" he trilled, tossing the egg.

"Why hide it?"

"Let's just say…I'm saving it for a rainy day," he said lightly.

_Now…_

Gold was standing at the counter, dusting off a case. The bell rang and he looked at the door. Emma and Regina walked in, and something was different about Emma.

"Do my eyes deceive me, or is that the look of a believer?" he questioned with a grin.

"We need your help," Emma said in lieu of an answer.

"Indeed you do," he sighed. "It seems quite the tragic ailment has befallen our young friend. I told you," he looked at Regina. "Magic comes with a price."

"Henry shouldn't have to pay it," Regina snapped.

"No, you should, but—"

"I _was going to_!" Regina shouted, cutting him off. " _I_ was going to eat the apple and curse myself!"

"Can you help us?" Emma asked, touching the mayor's hand to calm her.

"Of course," he sighed. "True Love, Miss Swan. The only magic strong enough to transcend realms and break any curse," he explained plainly. "Luckily for you, I happen to have bottled some."

"You did?" The look on Regina's face was a look of pure hope he hadn't seen on her since before he'd begun teaching her magic.

"Oh yes," he answered. "From strands of your parents' hair," he told Emma. "I made the most powerful potion in all the realm. So powerful, that, when I created the Dark Curse, I placed a single drop on the parchment. Just a little safety valve."

"That's why I'm the saviour…that's why I can break the curse."

"Now, you're getting it."

"I don't care about breaking the curse," Emma snapped. "All I care about is saving Henry."

"Which is why it's your lucky day," he replied lightly. "I didn't use all of the potion. I saved some, for a rainy day."

"Well, it's storming like a bitch. Where is it?"

" _Where_ it is, isn't the problem. Getting it is what should worry you."

"Enough riddles. What do we do?" Regina demanded.

" _You_ do nothing," he told her. "It has to be Miss Swan."

"This is _my_ fault, it should be me," Regina insisted.

"No, it has to be her. She's the product of the magic, she must be the one to find it."

"I can do it," Emma sighed.

"Don't trust him."

 _That is true, I've no plan to use the potion for your benefit_ , he thought, watching Emma.

"What choice do we have?"

"That's right, dearie, what choice _do_ you have?" he quipped.

"Where is this magic?"

"Tell me, your majesty, is our friend still in the basement?"

"Oh, you twisted little _imp_. You hid it with _her_?"

"Oh, no, no, no," he laughed. "Not _with_ her, _in_ her. I knew you couldn't resist bringing her over."

"Who is… _her_?" Emma asked.

"Someone you should be prepared for," he answered. "Where you're going, you're gonna need this." He turned the case on the counter and opened it.

"What is that?"

"Your father's sword."

After discussing the plan, Emma and Regina went to the hospital to check on Henry. Emma had the book in her hands as she stood over her son.

"Henry…you were right about the curse," she whispered to him. "I should have believed you, I'm sorry." She put the book on the bed, just barely under the pillow. "For when you wake up," she paused, tempted to kiss his cheek or something, but she stopped herself to give Regina a chance. "Don't be late," she told her.

"I won't," Regina answered and Emma nodded a little, hurrying out. She went to find Neal in his room at the inn. He opened the door for her when she knocked.

"Emma?"

"Henry's at the hospital. He took a bite from the poisoned apple…"

"So, you believe now?"

"Yeah…," she sighed. "I'm gonna save him, but I figured you may as well know, in case we don't make it in time."

"Do you need help?"

"I've got all the help I need right now. Between Regina and Gold…"

"Gold…you made a deal with him?"

"Desperate times…," she trailed off, a little surprised by Neal's expression. "But it doesn't matter. He wants the curse broken, just like you and Henry, and apparently also a couple of others."

A while later, Regina met with Emma in front of the library. The blonde was pacing anxiously by the chained door, but when she saw Regina approaching, she stopped and picked up the sword. Regina pulled her keys out and unlocked the door.

"What is this place…?" Emma asked. Clearly she hadn't read the sign over the door.

"Would you like a tour, or shall we get to it?" she quipped, crossing to the mirrored wall hiding the elevator.

"Lead the way," Emma sighed. The mayor touched the wall and lifted, pushing it up. "Whoa…"

"Get in," she instructed as she flipped switches and opened the elevator doors.

"After you."

"It's a two man job…the elevator's hand-operated," she explained. "I have to stay up here and lower you down."

"All right…," Emma sighed and kissed her cheek. "Can I trust you not to try and kill yourself or anything while I'm down there?"

"Until Henry's okay, I won't do anything to hurt myself," she promised.

"By the way…who is it? What's down there?"

"An…old friend."

"Then why don't _you_ go talk to her?"

"Because I trapped her in a different form. She doesn't want to hear from me." She proceeded to explain how to defeat Maleficent.

Emma went into the elevator and as it rumbled down the shaft, she unsheathed the sword and looked it over, wondering if she could really pull this off.

_Then…_

James waited behind the throne of the fortress, his sword drawn. A woman ascended the stairs and sat on the throne. Seeing his chance, he stepped out and put the blade to her throat.

"Where is it?" he demanded. "Where is the beast that reigns over this castle?" The woman knocked him back with magic and he tumbled down the stairs.

"That would be me," she replied, standing up. "But _beast_ is so harsh. I prefer _Maleficent_."

"I'm gonna need a smaller egg…," he muttered.

"Such a shame…so handsome," she said as the candles all went out. To defend himself, he swung his sword. The woman began cackling.

"Show yourself, witch!" he shouted in response to her laughter. He heard a rumbling and turned to see a dragon in the minimal light. He cursed under his breath and ran for cover as its chest began to glow.

_Now…_

Emma stepped out of the elevator as it came to the bottom of the shaft. She slowly walked down the tunnel and came to a glass coffin. She touched the structure with her free hand, wondering if it was her mother's. She heard a rumbling and she slowly turned to investigate. A _dragon_ was behind her.

 _Crap!_ She thought as it roared at her.

_Flames filled the chamber as Charming hid behind a pillar. He ran out and waved, shouting taunts at her. The dragon chased him and he tried to figure out just how to get the egg inside her without killing himself._

"To hell with this," Emma snapped, throwing the sword down. She didn't know how to use it, so she pulled out her gun. She started shooting at the dragon, but did little more than piss it off. She hid behind a rock as it shot flames at her.

_Charming ran from the dragon and hid from the flames again, but he only hid long enough to see the dragon's head twist around the column. He jumped onto its neck and shoved the egg into its mouth._

Emma soon ran out of bullets and had to toss the gun aside. For a brief moment, the dragon disappeared in a pit. She looked over the edge, breathing a small sigh of relief.

_James was thrown out a window and he barely managed to safely land in the water below, surfacing to see the dragon shooting flames into the empty air outside the window above._

The dragon flew out of the pit and Emma barely managed to dodge the onslaught of flame.

_Then…_

Charming came out of the water and walked towards Rumplestiltskin. The imp giggled and clapped.

"Impressive, dearie. Very impressive, indeed," he praised him. "Come warm yourself."

"I have done what you've asked. Return my ring to me."

"Of course, you're in a bit of a rush," the imp agreed. "How rude of me. With this… _Prince Charming_ , you will find her." He handed over the ring.

"Thank you."

"Something's missing." Abruptly, James was fully dry and his clothes quite fancy. " _Now_ you're ready for your big moment."

"Why do you want us together?" he questioned, confused. "What do _you_ get out of it?"

"I'm a fan of True Love, dearie. And…more importantly, what it creates."

_Now…_

Emma rolled to pick up the sword and threw it at the dragon. The creature turned to dust and she paused for the dust to clear. In the ashes was a golden egg. She figured that was what she was after, so she picked it up and headed back to the elevator.

_Then…_

James rode as fast as he could, following the guidance of the enchanted ring. Finally, he saw the dwarves and dismounted his horse in mid-gallop.

"You're too late," one said as he approached.

"No," he argued. "No!" He clenched his fists. All that effort and he was too late…? "At least let me say goodbye…" One nodded and they removed the glass covering Snow. James went to her side and kissed her gently. A sharp gasp from her startled him.

"You found me…," Snow said as she woke up.

"Did you even doubt I would?" he joked, helping her to her feet.

After a quick recovery, Snow was walking along a nearby beach with Charming. She smiled a little, glad to be out of that nightmare.

"How did you do it?" she asked him.

"With this," he answered, showing the ring that had brought them together in the first place. "It's my mother's ring," he reminded her. "It…led me back to you. And now…I never want it off your finger," he continued, kneeling in front of her. "Will you marry me?"

"What do you think?" she asked, moving to kiss him. When they broke apart, she glanced at the ground.

"What is it?"

"There's the little matter of your father and my stepmother," she explained.

"Ah. That. I'm open to suggestions."

"Here's one," she smiled. "Let's take back the kingdom."

"How?"

"Like we shall do everything," she answered. "Together."

_Now…_

David was in the hospital waiting room with Mary Margaret, watching the nurses and doctors trying to save Henry.

Emma shouted to Regina to pull her back up. The elevator started moving, but quickly stopped. She frowned and looked up.

"Regina!" she called. "What the hell was that?! Regina?"

"Miss Swan?" she heard Gold call. "You've got it?" She frowned.

"Mr. Gold? What are you doing here?"

"I've come to check on you," he explained. "I'm glad I did. Regina abandoned you and sabotaged the elevator."

"What?" she questioned, doubting his story. "I'm coming up!" She zipped her jacket and started to stuff the egg between the leather and her blouse.

"No there's…there's no time for this," Gold argued. "You can't possibly scale the wall and carry that."

"Yeah? Well, I'll try." She didn't trust him.

"No, you can't. Just toss it up. Your boy's gonna be fine, I promise. We're running out of time, toss it up." She groaned and unzipped her jacket. The only reason they were running out of time was that he was wasting it by arguing.

"Okay," she relented. "You hold onto it, I'll be right up." She tossed the egg up and he caught it, disappearing. "Gold!" she shouted, climbing up the shaft as quickly as she could. Not surprisingly, Regina was tied to a chair, duct tape covering her mouth. "Regina?" she questioned, moving to take the tape off.

"He tricked you! How could you give him that?"

"Where is he?" she demanded.

"Gone," Regina sighed as Emma untied her. "Gold…he manipulated all of this…"

"Come on, he can't be that far!" She started for the door. With that limp of his, he really couldn't have gotten far. Regina nodded and followed. Before they could leave the library, both of their phones went off. _No…!_ "It's the hospital…" She ignored the call and ran to the hospital, forgetting about Gold. Regina followed her.

When they got to the hospital, Emma banged her hand on the elevator call button, but it wasn't coming quickly enough. Regina grabbed her hand and dragged her to the stairs. The two women ran as fast as they could up the stairs, Emma taking the stairs three and four steps at a time. They got to the ICU just as Whale and the Mother Superior were stepping out of the room. Emma approached first.

"We did everything we could," Whale told them.

"I'm sorry, you're too late," Mother Superior added. Emma gasped and went into the ICU, watching a nurse remove a breathing mask from Henry's face and turn off the machines.

Lacey finished speaking with Marlo and her sisters and went to Gold's shop. She opened the door and went in. She headed to the back to see him quickly putting something away.

"Excuse me, Mr. Gold," she greeted, prompting him to turn around.

"The shop's closed…," he started as he moved. He stopped short when he recognized her. "You…you're…," he trailed off, limping towards her. "You're real…?" he questioned, reaching to touch her arm. "You're really alive…"

"Yes, I am," she replied, seeing tears in his eyes. He hugged her tightly.

"Oh, Belle…," he whispered, quietly crying.

Regina followed Emma into the ICU room. She saw Neal coming onto the floor to check on Henry, but it was too late. She touched Emma's arm gently, crying. The blonde was in tears as well. Neal burst into the room.

"Is he—?"

"Gone…," Regina sighed, stepping into his path. Emma walked to the boy's side and kissed his forehead. A strong wind blew from the blonde and Regina looked at her. Henry gasped sharply and woke.

"I love you, too," he told Emma. "You saved me…"

"You did it…!" Regina laughed.

Mary Margaret looked at David as a strange wind knocked her off balance as they headed home. He looked confused, but so was she. What had just happened? Something was strange.

Emma watched as everyone around them became confused. Her brow furrowed. She knew she'd just broken the _Sleeping Curse_ , but had she also broken the _Dark Curse_? She looked at Henry.

"Henry, what's going on?" she questioned. She glanced at Regina to see the woman nod a little.

"The curse…I think you broke it!" Henry gasped.

"That was True Love's Kiss," Mother Superior said lightly. Regina stepped towards them. "If I were you, your Majesty, I'd find a place to hide," the nun told her. Emma looked at Regina, hoping she wouldn't run.

"Henry…," Regina said softly, reaching for Henry's hand. "No matter what you think, no matter what anyone tells you, I _do_ love you," the mayor told him before hurrying from the room.

David looked at Mary Margaret in confusion. Something was wrong. She wasn't supposed to have short hair.

"Snow…?" he questioned.

"Charming…," she replied, hugging him. "You found me."

"Did you ever doubt I would?" he laughed, kissing her.

Regina went to her house and up to Henry's room. She sat on his bed and picked up the pillow, sobbing into it. The only one that _might_ be on her side is Emma, but that was a gamble. She still had the apple, so she could still curse herself.

Lacey followed Gold through the woods, curious as to what he was planning. They came to the well and she stood beside him, watching as he pulled a potion bottle from his jacket.

"Rumplestiltskin," she started. "What are you doing…?"

"This is a very special place, Belle," he told her, despite probably knowing that her name in this realm was Lacey. "The waters that run below are said to have the power to return that which one has lost," he said, dropping the potion into the well. Purple smoke rose from the well and started spreading. A smirk formed on her face as she guessed what he was up to.

Emma paused, a little surprised. She thought that when the Curse was broken, they were all supposed to go back to the Enchanted Forest. She was also torn between staying with Henry and following after Regina.

"Henry, what's going on here?" she questioned. "If the curse is broken, why didn't we go back?"

"I…I don't know…," he answered slowly. Something clattered to the floor and Emma looked to see what happened.

"You okay?" she asked the surprised nurse. The other woman lifted her hand and pointed out the window. Something was coming towards the town from the woods. "What is that?"

"Something bad," Henry guessed.

Lacey watched Gold warily, wondering why he was bringing magic to this realm.

"We're in a land without magic, Belle," he explained, as if he'd assumed that she'd been fully cursed like everyone else. "And I'm bringing it…Magic…is coming."

"Why?"

"Why?" he quipped. "Because magic…is power."

Regina noticed the smoke approaching through the window. So that was what he'd wanted the potion for. To bring magic. Well, that would give her a bit of a defense at least.

Mary Margaret noticed the smoke and held onto David, hoping that this smoke was going to take them home. The clock tolled the quarter-hour.


End file.
